The Minneapolis Police Department is under fire after disturbing video emerged of one of its white officers kneeling on the neck of a black man, identified as George Floyd, who is screaming “I can’t breathe” as another officer looks on. Floyd then went unconscious and was unresponsive for several minutes before an ambulance arrived.
Floyd continued: “My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. … (I need) water or something. Please. Please. I can’t breathe, officer. … I cannot breathe. I cannot breathe.”
Onlookers urged the officers to let Floyd up.
“You just really killed that man, Bro,” said one onlooker.
The police released a statement: “Officers were advised that the suspect was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence. Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car. He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. … At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident. … Body worn cameras were on and activated during this incident.”
Warning: the video below is graphic and disturbing.
UPDATE. The Minneapolis PD has fired four officers over the incident: “Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced their terminations during a news conference. He did not publicly identify the officers.”
