A suspect arrested Thursday in a series of vandalism incidents at East African-owned businesses in Minneapolis' Seward neighborhood has been released without charges, but police said he could still be charged.
Suspects can't be held more than 36 hours without formal charges, said Minneapolis Police spokesman John Elder. The suspect was released Friday because the 36-hour period was set to expire Saturday.
"This does not mean he will not be charged, we just needed a little more time to investigate," Elder said.
The 36-year-old suspect was identified in a surveillance video showing a man shattering store windows in the 2400 block of E. Franklin Avenue.
Hennepin County sheriff's deputies, who had received an alert, recognized the man and arrested him at the Hennepin County Government Center on Thursday. The Star Tribune is not naming the suspect because he hasn't been formally charged.
Katy Read • 612-673-4583
