MINNEAPOLIS — The Federal Bureau of Investigation - Minneapolis Division is seeking the public's help in identifying a man accused of vandalism two years ago.
The man was seen breaking windows at the AutoZone Auto Parts store on Lake Street in Minneapolis and vandalizing the Minneapolis Police Department 3rd Precinct on May 27, 2020, according to the FBI.
It was at the beginning of the riots following the murder of George Floyd.
The FBI said the man was seen carrying an open umbrella and wearing a black baseball hat with a yellow logo with the letters L, M, Co and a black shirt with a picture on the front of it. He was caught on video smashing the windows of the AutoZone with a sledgehammer. He became known as the "Umbrella Man" on social media.
In 2020, Minneapolis police identified a suspect by name in a search warrant but KARE 11 did not name the suspect at that time because he was not charged. The FBI did not address the MPD's previous identification in their press release on Tuesday.
The "Umbrella Man" also sprayed the words "free sh*t for everyone" on the doors of the Auto Zone, police said in 2020. The man had a white substance on his right index finger, which matched the white spray used on the doors, according to a search warrant application.
According to KARE 11 reporter Lou Raguse, a St. Paul police officer was wrongly accused of being "Umbrella Man" at the time of the riots, prompting the agency to put out surveillance video of him working that night.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
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