Red Paint on Private Drive Near Winston Smith Protest Site, Minneapolis

Red paint marks a private drive near the site where Winston Smith died on June 3, 2021, following a law enforcement shooting in Minneapolis. Protesters have repeatedly painted the road red after property owners attempted to remove the markings. This area has been a focal point for protests since Smith's death, which occurred in the Uptown Minneapolis neighborhood. On June 3, 2021, members of a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force fatally shot 32-year-old Winston “Boogie” Smith Jr. on the top level of a parking ramp in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood while attempting to arrest him on a felony warrant. Authorities said Smith fired a handgun from inside his vehicle during the encounter, while family members and activists questioned the official account and demanded the release of additional evidence. The killing led to weeks of protests, street occupations, and confrontations with police in Uptown, becoming another major flashpoint in Minneapolis during the period following the murder of George Floyd. Earlier in the day Minneapolis city officials along with The Agape Movement coordinated to open the streets that had been closed at George Floyd Square since his murder.

Photo taken in June 2021.