During a protest rally for a man killed by police, a woman revealed she was nearly shot by the man inside her home.
Arabella Yarbrough told Fox 9 that she was cooking for herself and her children last week when Andrew “Tekle” Sundberg, 20, allegedly shot into her apartment, nearly hitting them.
“I literally had five minutes to live while he had six hours to choose life or death. The police stated they did not want to kill him,” Yarbrough told Fox 9.
Arabella Foss-Yarbrough, who survived the shooting from Andrew Tekle Sundberg argued with protesters to go home.
“He tried to kill me in front of my kids!…There’s bullet holes in my kitchen!—”
“—Not in you though!”
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) July 17, 2022
Responding officers helped Yarbrough and her children escape after Sundberg fired at them. As a result, MPD snipers killed the 20-year-old early the following day after a six-hour standoff outside the building.
“That man was armed. George Floyd was not armed. Breonna Taylor was not armed,” Yarbrough said. “Amir Locke he was armed and he had his own guns but they came into his home while he’s licensed to carry and killed him. He did not…fire. This man intentionally tried to kill us.”
The mother further explained that Sundberg was armed and intentionally tried to kill her and her children.
“My kids have to deal with this and probably have a mental illness now because they almost lost their lives,” Yarbough continued. “He tried to kill me in front of my kids. I have Black children; I am a woman of color! If I would have lost my life, would you guys do this for me?”
Arabella Yarbrough says she thought she and her 2 kids were going to die Wed. night, after she says Tekle Sundberg fired these shots through her apt. She says she called police. Sundberg was shot and killed by MPD ending a 6hr standoff. More on this, tonight at 10. @kare11 pic.twitter.com/4x0ITgBkoZ
— Deevon Rahming (@DeevonRahming) July 17, 2022
Mark and Cindy Sundberg, the adoptive parents of Tekle, apologized to Yarbrough for the pain their son allegedly inflicted on her and her family during the standoff. However, they also maintained that their son should still be alive.
“I wish I could wrap my arms around her and tell her I am so sorry,” Cindy said. “Tekle was an imperfect human — we’re all imperfect humans — and he did not deserve to be picked off like an animal from the rooftop.”
The family of Tekle hired Ben Crump and Jeff Storms in the son’s death. Crump and Storms released a statement, calling on the Minneapolis police department to release footage and other details of the incident.
“No information has been provided as to why Tekle, who officers had isolated for hours, suddenly needed to be executed,” Crump and Storms said. “We call on the Minneapolis Police Department to immediately provide the family with the video evidence and other information necessary to answer this question.”
The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) released a statement saying that the MPD Crisis Team Negotiators and SWAT team attempted to defuse the situation several times.
“MPD Crisis Team Negotiators and MPD SWAT responded and attempted negotiations throughout the night and early morning hours,” The statement read. “These attempts included identifying and calling the man’s cellphone as well as bringing the man’s parents to the scene to help.”
Approximately six hours after attempting negotiations, an officer shot Tekle resulting in life-threatening injuries. Tekle was transported to Hennepin health care, where he later died.
