Source: Douglas Sacha / Getty
Monday, a video surfaced of a Minneapolis police officer continuing to keep his knee on a man’s neck during an arrest. The man repeatedly informed the officer that he could not breathe, but the officer never let up. This altercation continued on for several minutes until the man lost his life.
The video was recorded by bystanders who noticed the horrific altercation. Throughout the video you can hear the onlookers trying to get the officer to stop his excessive force. Since the video had been released, Ben Crump–a prominent civil rights attorney–has identified the man as George Floyd. Crump, who was hired by Floyd’s family said,”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.”
According to police statements, officers were responding to a “forgery in progress.” They added, “Officers were advised that the suspect was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence.” When the officers arrived they asked Floyd to step from his car. The officers said, “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 FBI is currently investigating the incident. According to the Minneapolis Police Chief, Medaria Arradondo, the two officers seen in the video have been “relieved of duty status.”
Source: CBS News
