UPDATE: Uptown crash suspect makes 1st court appearance, bail set at $1M

UPDATE:

The man accused of killing a protester in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis made his first court appearance Thursday.

Nicholas Kraus had his bail set at $1 million. His next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3. He faces second-degree intentional murder and assault charges in the death of Deona Knajdek.

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The man accused of killing a protester in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday.

Nicholas Kraus is charged with second-degree intentional murder and assault in the death of Deona Knajdek.

Wednesday, people gathered to remember Knajdek on what would have been her 32nd birthday.

It led to another showdown with police overnight as barriers blocking roads were cleared out again.

For the past several days, protesters have shut down the streets, demanding justice. Now they say the charges against Kraus are not enough and they want first-degree murder charges to be filed against him.

"We demand accountability, we demand the man that killed Deona Marie gets charged to the fullest extent of the law, we demand the killers of Winston Smith are also charged, we demand that Jacob Frey resigns," one protester said.

People have been leaving flowers all week at the intersection at which Knajdek was hit.

Three other people were hurt.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office states there’s currently no evidence that the act was premeditated.

Investigators said they believe Kraus had been drinking.

"We don’t have any evidence that he told anyone beforehand, ‘I’m going to Lake Street, I want to run over protesters,’ none of that so far but we may discover more and if we do we’ll use it," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said during a Wednesday news conference.

Tensions continue between city leaders and protesters as crews continue removing makeshift barriers put in place by protesters.

Additionally, about 100 National Guard soldiers are on standby but so far, their assistance has not been needed.

Kraus is expected to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.