Less than 24 hours after a Minneapolis cop was caught on video driving his knee into a man’s neck until he stopped moving, the city fired four cops involved in the incident, stripping them of the Blue Privilege that has long protected cops in the death of unarmed citizens.
Police said they had received a call about a man who appeared to be under the influence trying to pass a forged check Monday evening. When they arrived, they encountered the man sitting in his car.
They say the man, who has been identified as George Floyd, stepped out of the car but resisted arrest which is how Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin ended up on top of him with his knee driving into Floyd’s neck as he pleaded for his life.
“I cannot breathe,” Floyd repeatedly said but Chauvin was not the least bit concerned.
And neither was the cop who was standing in front of the witnesses who has been identified as Tou Thao.
The other two cops who were fired were apparently behind the vehicle and unseen from the video that has gone viral. But a photo from the rear posted by Shaun King on Instagram shows them participating in the assault. Police have not officially released any of the names.
It appears as if the decision to fire the cops came from the city’s mayor who has been very vocal about the incident.
According to KSTP:
The four responding officers involved in the incident in south Minneapolis that led to the death of George Floyd have been terminated, according to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
“This is the right call,” Frey said in a statement on Twitter.
Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo addressed the community Tuesday afternoon regarding the firing of the officers.
“When Mayor Frey appointed me as chief of the Minneapolis police department, I was very steadfast and strong on what our department vision, values and culture change would be moving forward. One of those pillars is sanctity of life,” Arradondo said. “We know there are inherent dangers in the profession of policing but the vast majority of the work we do never require the use of force.”
Floyd’s family have retained attorney Benjamin Crump who has represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Michael Brown. Watch the video below.
