Police investigating after fire damages Renee Macklin Good memorial in Minneapolis
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Minneapolis police are investigating after a fire damaged the memorial to Renee Macklin Good in south Minneapolis on Tuesday night.
The police department said the fire was reported at about 8:45 p.m. and was extinguished before officers arrived.
“Preliminary information indicates a pile of wood was set on fire. Several items at the Renee Good memorial were damaged by the fire,” the department reported. There were no reports of injuries.
Authorities said Wednesday afternoon that someone poured gasoline before setting the fire. Flames were limited to the fence and did not spread to the rest of the site.
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James Forbes volunteers as the memorial’s caretaker. He says someone monitoring the area smelled gasoline, spotted the fire and alerted him. He responded with fire extinguishers and quickly put it out.
"That’s a memorial site, and that’s something that should be sacred, regardless of how they felt about her or how they feel about the fact that people are out there showing support," Forbes said.
Police are still investigating the fire.
The memorial is located along Portland Avenue near East 33rd Street, where Good was fatally shot by a federal agent last month. It includes signs, artwork, ribbons and other items left in memory of Good.
There’s also a memorial on Nicollet Avenue, at the site where Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents in late January.
“We will always prioritize giving our community space to grieve and heal. Everyone should respect the space around the memorial,” city spokesperson Brian Feintech said Wednesday afternoon. “We are working on next steps, including engaging the community to preserve the memorials at the Renee Good and Alex Pretti sites.”
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