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Local activists call for Target boycott after the Minneapolis-based retailer rolled back DEI initiatives

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Local activists call for Target boycott after the Minneapolis-based retailer rolled back DEI initiatives


Racial justice group leaders called for a national boycott of Target during a rally Thursday in front of the offices of the Minneapolis-based retailer.

Target announced last week that it would end its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and investments. The initiatives include a program it established aimed at helping Black employees build meaningful careers, improving the experience of Black shoppers and promoting Black-owned businesses, following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Becky Dankowski holds an anti-Target sign during a news conference outside Target Corporation’s headquarters.

Kerem Yücel | MPR News

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Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong said the boycott against Target will begin on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month.

She said they believe Target phasing out DEI programs is “completely unacceptable.”

Levy Armstrong, who had her 7-year-old daughter Assata Armstrong by her side, said the group believes that “this decision was not made independently by Target, but it was made as a result of the pressure that is coming from the White House and the administration under Donald Trump.”

“They acted cowardly, and they made the decision to bow down to the Trump administration when we are here today, saying we will not bow down,” Levy Armstrong said.

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She added that different ethnic groups and races make up the “fabric of America and our presence in this country should be embraced.”

She and others at the event urged people to shop at businesses that are committed to DEI efforts.

Community members protest against Target

Protesters hold signs, including a repurposed Target bag reading “You said ‘expect more.’ We do!” during a demonstration outside Target Corporation’s headquarters.

Kerem Yücel | MPR News

Another rally speaker, activist Sheletta Brundidge, also addressed the crowd with her daughter by her side. She said the community shouldn’t have to wage battles repeatedly.

“I don’t want to fight the same fight that my grandmother fought in. I don’t want my daughter to be out here with Nekima’s daughter in 20 years fighting the same battle. Which is why we have to make our voices heard now,” Brundidge said. “We have to create lasting change, and we have to stop shopping at Target.”

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The announcement from Target follows an executive order by President Donald Trump to end federal DEI programs.

Target said in its next chapter, they will continue to create “inclusive work and guest environments that welcome all.”

“Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” Kiera Fernandez, Target’s chief community impact and equity officer, wrote in a memo to employees, which Target shared Friday. “As a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape, now and in the future.”

Nekima Levy Armstrong said the company “didn’t understand that its decision was not only offensive, but it’s bad for business.”

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Akshay Rao, a marketing professor at the University of Minnesota, agrees. He told MPR News that ending DEI programs could alienate customers.

“Choosing to not incorporate those points of view is going to limit their ability to cater to those people, and that will have an effect not only because those people will go elsewhere but because competitors will then leap into the fray and say, ‘hey come talk to me. I’m friendly to you,’” Rao said.

Community members protest against Target

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a local civil rights lawyer and activist speaks to media during a news conference outside Target Corporation’s headquarters.

Kerem Yücel | MPR News

In response to Target’s announcement, Twin Cities Pride removed the company from its June LGBTQ+ festival.

“The community is just very disappointed that someone like Target, who has been a staple in our corner for so many years, has made this decision and not made the decision to stand up against those who are fighting against us,” said Twin Cities Pride executive director Andi Otto.

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Minneapolis, MN

Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say

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Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say


Minneapolis police are investigating a homicide on Feb. 24, 2026.  (FOX 9)

A man is dead after a witness said he refused to give up a Louis Vuitton bag while being robbed by multiple men at gunpoint. 

Abdirahman Khayre Khayre, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for the incident that happened on the evening of Feb. 24 in Minneapolis. 

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READ MORE: Man fatally shot in south Minneapolis apartment building

Fatal Minneapolis shooting after robbery 

The set-up:

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Minneapolis police responded around 10:42 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Abbott Apartments, located on the 100 block of East 18th Street in the Stevens Square neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Officers then found a dead man in the lobby who had been shot multiple times. 

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A witness to the shooting said he and the victim arrived at the apartments to “hang out” with Khayre, according to the criminal complaint. 

The witness said he became suspicious when Khayre he left the room multiple times and “appeared to be stalling.”

The robbery:

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The complaint states the witness reported three men then came into the room and yelled “Give me everything.” The men were armed with Glock handguns that had extended magazines as well as an AR-style rifle.

They then stole two guns from the witness, and one of them was handed to Khayre.

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When the men demanded a Louis Vuitton bag from the victim, he refused, leading to a fight between them all.

The shooting:

The witness said when he walked toward them, Khayre pointed the witness’ stolen gun at him and racked it. 

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The witness then got out of the room, ran toward the lobby and heard multiple gunshots. He then saw two of the men flee out the back of the building, but didn’t see what direction they went in.

The victim was then found dead. 

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The aftermath:

Khayre was then identified by the witness in a photo lineup, according to the criminal complaint. 

Police say video footage corroborated much of what the witness reported.

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Khayre was on conditional release for a suspected carjacking at the time of the shooting, according to the complaint. 

The Source: This story uses information gathered from a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County and previous FOX 9 reporting. 

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Minnesota’s Iranian community: Mixed emotions on US-Israel strike

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Minnesota’s Iranian community: Mixed emotions on US-Israel strike


The local Iranian community in Minnesota is expressing mixed emotions following the recent joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran.

Local reactions to the strike

What we know:

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The strike resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to President Donald Trump and Iranian state media. Many Iranians in Minnesota feel this could lead to freedom for their country.

Nazanin Naferipoor shared that her sister in Iran was initially happy about the strike, believing it might bring about freedom. However, communication has been cut off since the strike began, leaving many worried about their loved ones.

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The other side:

Hamid Kashani from the Minnesota Committee in Support of a Democratic Iran expressed mixed feelings about the strike. While he hopes for change, he is concerned about the potential loss of innocent lives.

Fazy Kowsari emphasized that the attack targeted the government, not the religion, and criticized the political motivations behind the strike.

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Upcoming rally at Nicollet Mall

Why you should care:

A rally is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at Nicollet Mall and 11th Street. Organizers view the U.S. strike as a rescue operation for Iranians held hostage by the regime, rather than an act of war.

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Ex-MN Twins Pitcher Sentenced For Shooting His In-Laws

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Ex-MN Twins Pitcher Sentenced For Shooting His In-Laws


AUBURN, CA — Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his father-in-law and attempting to murder his mother-in-law in a 2021 ambush-style shooting at a Lake Tahoe-area home.

A Placer County jury previously found Serafini, 51, guilty of fatally shooting 70-year-old Gary Spohr and seriously wounding Spohr’s wife, 68-year-old Wendy Wood, on June 5, 2021, at their home on the lake’s west shore. Wood survived the attack but died a year later.

In a statement obtained by The Associated Press, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said that Spohr and Wood were loving grandparents and detailed how Serafini’s crimes had affected the couple’s family members and friends.

“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.

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On the day of the shooting, Serafini’s wife, the victims’ daughter, had taken the children to the lake to visit their grandparents.

Prosecutors said the deadly ambush stemmed from a dispute over a $1.3 million investment in a ranch renovation project. The victims had reportedly contributed the money.

In one text message shown in court, Serafini wrote, “I’m gonna kill them one day,” referencing a dispute over $21,000, prosecutors said.

He also sent other threatening messages, including “I will be coming after you” and “Take me to court,” according to ABC10.

Jurors also found Serafini guilty of several “special circumstance” sentencing enhancements, including lying in wait, use of a firearm, and that the attack was willful, deliberate and premeditated. He was also convicted of first-degree burglary.

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Prosecutors had also charged Serafini with child endangerment, saying he put his infant and toddler sons at risk by having a gun in the home. Jurors found him not guilty on that count.

The case also involved a second defendant, 33-year-old Samantha Scott, who pleaded guilty to being an accessory in February, according to the New York Post.

A left-hander, Serafini was a 1992 first-round pick for the Minnesota Twins. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies, pitching for six MLB teams over seven seasons.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.





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