Existing comment:
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Court transcripts of police body camera recordings show him cooperating and repeatedly apologizing to officers after they approach his parked car. He was imploring them not to shoot him. It was when officers tried to put Floyd in their squad car that a struggle ensued. According to reports, Mr. Floyd became stiff, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic. The police pulled him away from the vehicle, causing him to fall. He lay there, face down on the ground, still in handcuffs. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, then placed his left knee on Mr. George Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Bodycam footage from surrounding officers shows Mr. Floyd pleading, "I can't breathe" more than 20 times as the officers pinned him to the asphalt. In the recordings, Mr. Floyd can be heard pleading "Please, please, please," and saying, "Can't believe this, man. Mom, love you. Love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead." After approximately six minutes, George Floyd became non-responsive. Medical staff pronounced him dead an hour later. |