Floyd died after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by an officer's knee, in an episode that was recorded on video by a bystander, inciting condemnation and protests
A protester holds a sign, showing an image from the video of George Floyd's arrest, outside the Third Precinct Police Station on May 27, 2020 in Minneapolis,Minnesota. Image: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died on Monday after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a police officer’s knee, in an incident that was recorded on video and that incited large protests in Minneapolis.
The explosive footage, recorded by a bystander and shared widely on social media early Tuesday, led to community outrage, an FBI civil rights investigation and the firing of the officer and three colleagues who were also at the scene.
On Wednesday, the Minneapolis Police Department identified the fired officers as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng.
Floyd’s relatives have said that the officers should be charged with murder. “They treated him worse than they treat animals,” Philonise Floyd, Floyd’s brother, said on CNN. “They took a life — they deserve life.”
Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis was quick to condemn the officers’ actions, and on Wednesday, he called on prosecutors to file charges against the officer who had his knee on Floyd’s neck.
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