MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis man was sentenced Wednesday to serve a decade in prison for his role in attempting to set the downtown Minneapolis Target headquarters on fire in the summer of 2020.
The attempted arson took place on Aug. 26, as several shops and businesses in downtown Minneapolis experienced looting and theft in the aftermath of a man's shooting death in front of the building, which was later ruled a suicide. The chaos came amid rapidly spreading rumors that claimed a Minneapolis police officer had killed him.
According to the Department of Justice, it was at this time that 37-year-old Leroy Williams and his co-defendants went to the Target headquarters building and repeatedly attempted to start a fire inside.
Williams was convicted of one count of arson on Oct. 26, 2023.
Shador Jackson, who was also initially charged with arson in the incident, ultimately made a deal with prosecutors in 2021, pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson and was subsequently sentenced to 33 months for his role.
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