*The internet is convinced that Officer Jacob Pederson of the Saint Paul Police Department is the mysterious man seen in a viral video wearing all black with an umbrella and a pink gas mask breaking out windows at a Minneapolis Auto Zone on Wednesday just before the fire broke out and the riots started.
Pederson is being accused of inciting the chaos that erupted in the city, as the Auto Zone was the first building to burn.
Footage of the scene shows a protester confronting the man, who then becomes hostile and quickly attempts to flee the scene while being asked if he’s a cop.
On Thursday, Twitter user @GypsyEyedBeauty tweeted a series of screenshots allegedly from Pederson’s ex-wife, and the caption read, “Here are screenshots from his ex wife confirming this is him, along with his photo.”
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In the messages, the alleged ex-wife says, “I’m 90% sure. Voice walk everything.” The other person named “Megan” agrees then asks, “Do you recognize any of the gear?” The ex-wife responds, “The gas Mask.”
She also noted that Pederson’s partner was working the fires in the city. She goes on to write, “That’s my gas mask. THE GLOVES TOO. HOLY SH*T IM SHAKING.”
it should be a hate crime to commit a crime knowing you’ll get minorities blamed for it fuck Jacob Pederson of the St. Paul PD and fuck the police pic.twitter.com/591MII7Pal
— ?elle⁷ ia (@txthaitian) May 29, 2020
A side-by-side image comparison of Pederson and the mysterious man is spreading like wildfire across social media. But the SPPD has disputed the accusation that the #agentprovocateur seen in the viral video is one of their own.
Y’all need to spread this like wildfire. This is Officer Jacob Pederson who started the vandalism on the Auto Zone across from MPDs 3rd Precinct where the riots broke out. His ex gf outed him after seeing the video someone took of him vandalizing AutoZone, being approached by… pic.twitter.com/wlqcBNf2sw
— ☔️⬇️??♂️ (@IssaMeBrianO) May 29, 2020
On Thursday night, the SPPD issued the following statement on Twitter: “We are aware of the social media post that erroneously identifies one of our officers as the person caught on video breaking windows in Minneapolis. We’ve seen it. We’ve looked into it. And it’s false.”
The post goes on to say, “Our officer? He’s been working hard, keeping people and property safe, and protecting the right to peacefully assemble. It’s sad that people would post and share this untrue information, adding more confusion to an already painful time in our community..”
RUMOR CONTROL …
We are aware of the social media post that erroneously identifies one of our officers as the person caught on video breaking windows in Minneapolis.
We’ve seen it. We’ve looked into it. And it’s false.
— Saint Paul Police Department (@sppdmn) May 29, 2020
Our officer? He’s been working hard, keeping people and property safe, and protecting the right to peacefully assemble. It’s sad that people would post and share this untrue information, adding more confusion to an already painful time in our community.
— Saint Paul Police Department (@sppdmn) May 29, 2020
Many folks lit up the comments of the post to make clear that the police have ZERO credibility, so they ain’t buying it.
One user wrote, “If he was on the clock where was he at the time of the Auto Zone incident? You should be able to track that information.”
Another added, “Hold a press conference tonight & release the officer’s GPS of his vehicle and call logs. If he wears a Body Cam, please allow it to be reviewed by the press and activist organizations. You need to provide evidence, because your word cannot be trusted and we can’t live like that.”
Hold a press conference tonight & release the officer’s GPS of his vehicle and call logs. If he wears a Body Cam, please allow it to be reviewed by the press and activist organizations. You need to provide evidence, because your word cannot be trusted and we can’t live like that.
— Garrick A. McFadden, Esq. (@electgarrick) May 29, 2020
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