A predominately Black neighborhood in Winona, Minnesota has had to deal with a Confederate flag waving pickup truck driver for awhile. The driver known in the neighborhood as Ryan frequently drives at high speed on the streets and has been confronted in the past. Within the past month, angry residents pulled the Confederate flag from his truck during one incident. Despite knowing how the community responded to his racist behavior. he did it again; this time, however, he struck 4-year-old Damajae Winn with his car.
The response from residents was swift and according to witnesses the driver was beaten by at least 10 people. Ryan’s 13-year old girlfriend, a passenger in the car, Brook Schumpf stated, “All of a sudden, this kid ran out in front of us and he hit the bumper. I swear they came out of nowhere. I didn’t see any of them, and they were there in, like, two seconds.” The angry crowd beat and kicked Ryan and Schumpf stated that Damajae’s mother kept screaming at her, “You’re a racist b—-“.
However, Schumpf was adamant that she had no racist intention, stating to local news media, “It was nothing towards them. We didn’t even see the kid, so it was rough with everybody saying it was because we had the Confederate flag out… ‘To us that’s just a battle flag; it has nothing to do with racism. I don’t even have words to explain the anger I have towards everybody right now.”
Fortunately, Damajae suffered only minor injuries, while Ryan, the driver of the truck, suffered bruising and suffered a chipped tooth. Local police are now investigating the accident and the alleged assault, but no one has been charged.
