Numerous businesses set on fire, damaged & looted overnight in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Multiple businesses in Richmond were set on fire, damaged and looted during overnight protests that turned violent.

The damage was still being assessed Sunday morning, but businesses that experienced broken windows and looting include the CVS on Broad and Arthur Ashe and the ABC store on Broad, where people were spotted stealing bottles of alcohol.

A massive fire and police response were called to the Rite Aid on the corner of Belvedere and Broad around 3:30 a.m. It took crews nearly two hours to get under control, and officials say there are large amounts of damage inside the building.

Protesters have been calling for justice in the police death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck. It was the latest in a series of deaths of black men and women at the hands of police in America.

Another Richmond business seriously damaged was DTLR, a shoe store near VCU. Flames could be seen shooting from the building; the damage inside is extensive.

Police say there were at least a half dozen structural fires overnight including at the Starbucks on Lombardy and Broad.

Firefighters also reported looting and vandalism happening at the businesses, including the Quirk Hotel, a Wells Fargo and multiple buildings on VCU’s campus.

Cleanup throughout the city will continue throughout the day Sunday.

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