Matthew Rupert – February 2018 | Knox County Jail
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An Illinois man who allegedly said he was traveling to Minneapolis to “riot” after the death of George Floyd has been charged with federal counts.
Twenty-eight-year-old Matthew Lee Rupert of Galesburg is charged with civil disorder, rioting and possession of unregistered destructive devices. An FBI affidavit says Rupert posted videos to his Facebook page last week that showed him in Minneapolis, handing out explosives to others.
Floyd, a black man, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck, despite Floyd saying he couldn’t breathe. The charges come as civic leaders nationwide have blamed outsiders for bringing trouble into their communities.