Kenosha police arrested nine people after they stopped vehicles – a school bus, bread truck, and minivan – with out-of-state license plates. Police say the vehicles “contained various items that included helmets, gas masks, protective vests, illegal fireworks, and suspected controlled substances.”
“The vehicles were a black school bus, bread truck and tan minivan. Kenosha Police confirmed the out of state license plates,” Kenosha PD wrote in a news release. According to the release, “Police followed the vehicles to a gas station near Washington Road and 30th Avenue. Police observed the occupants of the black bus and bread truck exit and attempt to fill multiple fuel cans.”
Police arrested the nine people on disorderly conduct accusations, and referred the cases to the Kenosha County District Attorney, who will make the final decision on charges.
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The arrests came in the wake of multiple arson fires that burned down businesses and other buildings after the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The night of the arrests ended up being the calmest since the Blake shooting. The protest didn’t turn into the rioting seen the previous nights as people marched through the streets and the crowd seemed to dissipate fairly early. That was a stark contrast to the nights before, when people openly defied criminal laws, burning and destroying vehicles, setting major arson fires, and smashing windows. That all culminated in a shooting that left two dead. You can read about the criminal charges in that shooting here.
The police arrest may have prevented further issues.
Police Acted on a Citizen Tip & Found the Vehicles Meeting in a Remote Lot
“During the early evening hours of August 26, 2020 Kenosha Police Department received a citizen tip alerting us to several suspicious vehicles with out of state plates meeting in a remote lot near State Highway 50 and Green Bay Road,” police explained in the news release.
“Acting on this information Kenosha Police Offices located the suspicious vehicles and took up surveillance. Kenosha Police were assisted by the United States Marshals.”
The release doesn’t give the suspects’ names.
“Suspecting that the occupants of these vehicles were preparing for criminal activity related to the civil unrest, officers attempted to make contact and investigate. The officers exited their vehicles, identified themselves, were wearing appropriate identification, and then detained the occupants of the bus and bread truck,” the release states.
“The minivan attempted to drive away; however, Kenosha Police stopped this vehicle and ultimately forced entry to the minivan and arrested the occupants.”
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