A brazen daylight robbery unfolded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, leaving independent journalist Nick Sortor reeling and questioning the city’s response. While documenting events in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood on Sunday, Sortor had a $1,000 camera violently ripped from his grasp by an individual described as a Somali woman.
The incident, captured on video, shows a masked figure yanking the camera through the open window of Sortor’s vehicle. A man immediately confronted him, shouting aggressively and seemingly celebrating the theft. Sortor instinctively pursued the robber, clinging to the door handle of the getaway car as it sped away.
The pursuit turned dangerous as Sortor was dragged along the street, his hand becoming trapped in the vehicle’s door mechanism. Despite the physical assault and loss of equipment, no bystanders intervened to offer assistance, leaving Sortor to face the aftermath alone.
Following the robbery, Sortor contacted the Minneapolis Police Department, hoping for swift action and recovery of his stolen property. However, the response he received was shockingly dismissive and, to him, deeply troubling.
Officers acknowledged the incident but offered no immediate timeframe for investigation or potential arrest. Instead, they suggested that Sortor and his companion were part of the problem, implying their presence in the area was contributing to the unrest and attracting negative attention.
Sortor attempted to clarify that they were simply journalists reporting on the situation, exercising their First Amendment rights. He argued that they were not harassing anyone, but the officer remained firm, stating that if complaints of harassment arose, it could escalate the situation.
The officer’s words felt like a condemnation, suggesting the hostility wouldn’t subside and implicitly blaming Sortor for being present during the crime. Despite his pleas for help in recovering his stolen camera, the police reiterated their advice: stay out of the area.
Sortor expressed his outrage, stating that the refusal to pursue the thieves exemplified the core issues facing the nation. He vowed to remain, doubling down on his commitment to report from the area despite the clear message he received from law enforcement.
