PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Downtown Eugene was looted and vandalized in a riot over the death of George Floyd, the unarmed handcuffed black man killed by Minneapolis police earlier this week.
Crowds began to gather in downtown Eugene shortly after 8 p.m. at the Lane County Courthouse Building, officials said. The crowd grew and began to move around 9 p.m. and then “morphed into acts of vandalism, illegal burning, damage to buildings, businesses, and city property.”
Buses were spray painted, fireworks tossed into the Lane County Jail building, the police auditor’s office was vandalized, as well. Protesters threw bottles, blocked traffic and damaged parked cars, local businesses and city property.
Looting, fires in downtown Portland; police declare riot
Photos: Portland riot following George Floyd vigil
A bonfire was set in the parking lot of the Starbucks/Jimmy Johns at 7th and Washington, officials said.
Around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, the situation escalated even more with more broken windows. fires and looting. Another fire, this time with a crowd of about 50 people nearby, began on Lawrence Street.
Looters went into Starbucks, Buy 2, Hunky Dory and shattered glass at Fire Horse, police said.
Eugene Police then used tear gas to get the rioters to break up around 2:13 a.m., officials said.
KOIN 6 News will have more information as it develops.
