The FBI joins in on an investigation of an incident that took place in Minneapolis on Monday. A video went viral on social media, it shows an officer forcing his knee into the neck on a black man who is handcuffed and pinned to the ground.
Footage obtained by CBS News, shows a white police officer with his knee on the neck of the man, who can be heard pleading with the office to remove his knee, as he couldn’t breathe. “Everything hurts,” he says. You can also hear him say, “Please! I can’t breathe.”
The man has been identified as George Floyd. Bystanders approached the scene and told the officers to get off of George. One person even pointed out that the his nose started to bleed. George eventually appeared to be unresponsive as an ambulance is seen arriving at the scene, at which point he was transported to a local hospital.
In a press release, Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson John Elder said officers arrived on the scene shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Monday “on a report of a forgery in progress.” The statement claims, “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.”
The video was captured by Facebook user Darnella Frazier. She wrote, “They killed him right in front of cup foods over south on 38th and Chicago!! No type of sympathy #POLICEBRUTALITY.”
https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1265366427944525827
Rest In Peace George Floyd.
Serious warning about the video circulating of Minneapolis PD killing George Floyd. The clarity with which you can see his pain and the cop’s malice is overwhelming.
— austin walker (@austin_walker) May 26, 2020
Statement from @AttorneyCrump on the death of George Floyd, who died after an encounter with the Minneapolis police: “We all watched the horrific death of George Floyd on video as witnesses begged the police officer to take him into the police car and get off his neck.” pic.twitter.com/0eXNnx4Lvu
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) May 26, 2020
https://twitter.com/DamienJamar336/status/1265296499937882114