Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who was filmed with his knee pressing against George Floyd’s neck has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter.
Chauvin, 44, was taken into custody by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Hennepin County prosecutor, Mike Freeman, said he anticipates more charges to be filed as the investigation continues.
The charges come several days after the incident, as residents in Minneapolis and several other cities across the country gather for protests in response to Floyd’s death. Most of the protests have been peaceful, with looting breaking out in clusters.
George Floyd
In the video captured by a bystander, Chauvin’s knee is pressed against Floyd’s knee for more than eight minutes, with the 46-year-old calling for his mother and saying “I can’t breath” several times before he stopped moving. He also said that his stomach hurt. A different angle shot by another bystander shows three other officers pressed against Floyd as he lay face down on the ground.
The incident is a stark reminder of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Former President Barack Obama issued the following statement Friday morning on Twitter:
My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 29, 2020
