Four Minneapolis policemen discharged of service over death of unarmed black man [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Four Minneapolis police officers have been fired over the brutal arrest of George Floyd, a black man, that led to his death, the police chief announced.
• Floyd repeatedly cried out that he cannot breathe and begged for help until he lost consciousness while the officer kept his knee forced against the victim’s neck.
• Local and federal authorities, including the FBI, have launched a coordinated investigation on the fatal incident.

Four policemen have been relieved of their duties Tuesday following an incident that led to the death of an unarmed black man named George Floyd.

The video footage showed Floyd, being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by an officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes. Floyd gasped for air and repeatedly cried out, “I can’t breathe.”

The responding officers involved in the encounter were following up on a forgery report and found Floyd, who fit the suspect’s description, in his car.

According to one police account, the officers initiated the arrest after a physical altercation ensued between the officers and the victim. However, the video taken by an onlooker did not capture what triggered the confrontation which ultimately led to the fatal encounter.

In the video, Floyd appeared to go unconscious after several minutes of being kneeled on the neck as the officer kept him restrained. Bystanders can then be heard pleading for the officers to help the victim. The arresting officer did not appear to budge at the call of the agitated crowd.

An ambulance later arrived as Floyd was still held down unconscious. The officer did not let go of the victim until he was pulled onto a stretcher. Floyd died shortly after at the hospital.

Benjamin Crump, Floyd’s family attorney, called for the firing of the arresting officers and urged Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman to file murder charges.

“This abusive, excessive and inhumane use of force cost the life of a man who was being detained by the police for questioning about a non-violent charge,” Crump said in a statement.

Police Chief Medaria Arradondo did not identify the police officers but referred to them as “former employees.”

Arradondo said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched an inquiry into the matter to assess whether it is appropriate to file civil rights charges.

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is also conducting a parallel investigation while Freeman’s office announced ongoing efforts with federal prosecutors.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also condemned the actions of the police officers, calling the incident “wrong on every level” and regarded the termination as the “right call.”

“Being black in America should not be a death sentence,” Frey said. “When you hear someone calling for help, you’re supposed to help. The officer failed in the most basic, human sense.”

Police originally claimed that Floyd resisted arrest, but Rashad West, owner of a nearby restaurant, said based on his security footage, “From what I saw, it didn’t look like he was resisting at all.”

Source: CBS News