Video of officers shooting paint rounds unrelated to COVID-19 | Fact check
The claim: Tim Walz ordered police to shoot residents with paintball guns for breaking COVID-19 curfew
An Aug. 13 Instagram video (direct link, archive link) shows a news broadcast of a group of people in black uniforms walking down the middle of the street. Several men in the group yell at the person filming to "go inside now" before what sounds like gunshots go off.
The news chyron says, "Twin Cities now under curfew until 6 a.m."
The post's caption reads, "Absolute insanity: Gov. Tim Walz actually had his police use paintball guns to shoot Minnesota residents if they broke 'COVID' curfew by being on their porches. Check this out, people thought they were actually being shot – 'Light em up.'"
The post garnered more than 2,000 likes in a week. Similar versions of the claim were shared on Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
The video is unrelated to COVID-19. It shows officers enforcing a curfew imposed by Walz during the George Floyd protests in 2020. There's no evidence the officers were carrying out a governor's order to shoot residents with paint rounds. The National Guard and Minneapolis police both said the men were not associated with them.
Video shows curfew enforcement during George Floyd protests
Minnesota resident Tanya Kerssen filmed the now-deleted original video on May 30, 2020, according to a USA TODAY report from the time.
Though Kerssen confirmed to USA TODAY that the officers in the video were shooting paint rounds, she said the incident had nothing to do with COVID-19. Kerssen said in an email the incident was related to a curfew in the city set in response to protests over the murder of George Floyd.
Walz, now a vice presidential nominee, signed an executive order on May 28, 2020, mobilizing the National Guard in Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding communities to combat "unlawful and dangerous activity" in the wake of Floyd's death, according to the order.
In a press conference held the day the video was captured, Walz warned that those out after the 8 p.m. curfew would be "aiding and abetting" the people who set out to do harm. The governor announced the National Guard would be focusing on the safety of citizens, saying, "protection of citizenry and protection of property is our top priority and maintaining and restoring civil order on the streets."
But no credible reports from the time mention Walz authorizing the use of paint rounds by police or the National Guard.
And it's unclear which agency the officers in the video are from. Both Minnesota National Guard spokesperson Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé and Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson Garrett Parten told USA TODAY the men in the video were not part of their organizations.
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The video was filmed at a time when Walz was easing COVID-19 restrictions, not ramping them up. Three days before the video was filmed, Walz signed an executive order that allowed some resumed outdoor dining and services with safety measures. That order took effect June 1, two days after the video.
USA TODAY reached out to Walz's office and the Minnesota State Patrol but did not immediately receive a response. The user who shared the post couldn't be reached for comment.
AFP and Lead Stories also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
Kristen Augé, Aug. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Tanya Kerssen, Aug. 20, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Garrett Parten, Aug. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY
USA TODAY, June 2, 2020, 'Light 'em up': Minneapolis officers seen firing paint rounds at people on their porch
KARE-11, May 30, 2020, Walz, state leaders say most riot damage not caused by Minnesotans
Office of Gov. Tim Walz, May 27, 2020, Governor Tim Walz Signs Executive Order on COVID-19
Minnesota Legislature, May 28, 2020, Emergency Executive Order 20-64
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Video shows officers enforcing 2020 Floyd protest curfew | Fact check