Minneapolis’ own police chief spoke out on Thursday about the incident and its aftermath, which included violent and destructive protests across the city.
Chief Medaria Arradondo said, “I am absolutely sorry for the pain, the devastation and the trauma that Mr. Floyd’s death has left on his family and his loved ones and our community here in Minneapolis and certainly across the world.”
Minneapolis streets turned into a battlefield for a second night over the police killing of 46-year-old George Floyd.
The protests first aimed their anger at police inside the precinct responsible for the arrest. Protesters’ water bottles, rocks, and fireworks were met with tear gas, flash bags and rubber bullets.
By nightfall, the skies lit up with fire as several buildings became engulfed.
Across the street from the precinct, another scene. A Target was looted for hours until the inside was a smoky shell of itself.
George Floyd’s brother, Philonoise Floyd, issued a plea to protesters, but also understanding. He said, “I want everybody to be peaceful right now but people are torn and hurt because they are tired of seeing black men die.”
The events leading up to his brother’s death were captured for the world to see. Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee pressed on Floyd’s neck as he struggled to breathe, pleading, “I can’t breathe… I can’t breathe officer.”
At one point, the 46-year-old man in agony calls out for his mother.
The city’s mayor Jacob Frey called on the county attorney to prosecute the arresting officer. When he was asked it was murder, he replied, “I do.” He continued, “I’m not a prosecutor, but let me be clear, the arresting officer killed someone.”
So far, Chauvin and the three other officers fired have not commented on the case.
Police have now released their complaint history: only two officers have complaints lodged against them.
Chauvin has the most with 18 complaints. He faced no discipline in 16 cases and was reprimanded for two.
Officer Tou Thao has one complaint still pending and six total lodged against him. He was sued for brutality in a 2017 case that settled out of court.
Their last arrest ended in the death of a man pleading to let him breathe. The only body cam video released so far is from another department.
In the police statement officers claimed Floyd was resisting arrest. But Floyd was already handcuffed and on the ground when Chauvin’s knee was pressing down on his neck.
Surveillance video available and other videos taken by the public have not shown any resistance.
The Minneapolis officer’s body cam which would show the arrest from start to finish has not been released.
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