St. Paul Man Acquitted Of Shooting At MPD Officers During Unrest Files Civil Lawsuit

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A St. Paul man who was acquitted of shooting at Minneapolis police officers during last summer's unrest has filed a lawsuit against multiple officers and the city of Minneapolis.

MORE: Read the filing with the US District Court here.

On Thursday, the attorney for Jaleel Stallings says a civil lawsuit was filed "seeking accountability for the officers who violated policies, laws, and constitutional rights with impunity" during the protests that followed George Floyd's murder.

In June of last year, Jaleel Stallings was charged with eight criminal counts, including second-degree attempted murder, for allegedly shooting at police officers during protests near Lake Street and 15th Avenue South on May 30.

Authorities said that a man, later identified as Stallings, approached officers as they were attempting to break up crowds in a parking lot. Officers said they believed he was picking up a rock, so officers fired a 40-mm marking round. The charges said the officers then saw three or four muzzle flashes from the man's chest. Stallings was arrested shortly after, with police saying he resisted arrest.

Before a jury acquitted of the charges this summer, Stallings testified that he was shooting in self-defense. He has a permit to carry.

According to court documents, officers were driving an unmarked white van, without lights or sirens activated, when they began shooting non-lethal rounds at a crowd in a parking lot, which included Stallings.

The attorney of Stallings later released footage from that night, which showed officers joking about "hunting" protesters during the nights of unrest following Floyd's murder.

At one point, the video shows the officers firing at Stallings from an unmarked white van. Once he was on the ground, officers rushed at him and beat him for about 30 seconds.

In a social media post, Mayor Jacob Frey called the officers' actions and language "antithetical to the department we are striving to build. Period." Yet, Frey said he couldn't offer any other details or comment on the videos as investigations into what happened during those nights last May are still underway.

Two of the Minneapolis police officers recorded on camera footage making disparaging comments about protesters are no longer on the force.

Since Floyd's murder and the unrest in the Twin Cities, the future of the Minneapolis Police Department has become a topic of heated debate and national news headlines.

The city attorney's office says it is reviewing the lawsuit and has no comment at this time.