Minneapolis Police department has admitted that race played a big part in the deaths of the black man who was choked to death by white police officers.
The Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said he personally requested for the federal probe after watching the video from a bystander and receiving “additional information” about the incident involving several officers.
“There was additional information that I had received that quite frankly, from community sources, that just provided more context than I had preliminarily,” he said, without elaborating the nature or source of the information.
The four white officers involved in the incident have been fired the police chief said.
The black man who was killed by white Minneapolis police officers in a viral video posted on monday has been identified as George Floyd.
While confirming the incident on Tuesday the city Mayor Jacob Frey said that it was clear from the video that race played a part in the encounter.
“This is the right call,” Frey wrote in a Twitter post.
“Being black in America should not be a death sentence,” said Frey. “For five minutes, we watched a white officer press his knee into a black man’s neck. Five minutes. When year hear someone calling for help, you’re supposed to help. This officer failed in the most basic, human sense. What happened on Chicago and 38th last night is awful. It was traumatic. It serves as a reminder of how far we have to go.”
He continued, visibly shaken: “Whatever the investigation reveals, it does not change the simple truth, he should still be with us this morning.”
Because of the nature of the incident and the race of those involved, the FBI will be looking into whether charges could be brought the officer, Frey said.
The four racist officers in the viral video has not been publicly identified but two sources familiar with the investigation identified the man who choked the black man to death as Derek Chauvin.
FBI has launched a formal investigation for possible civil rights violations.
In the viral video the white officer was kneeling on a handcuffed African American man’s neck and ignoring the man’s protests that he couldn’t breathe. The man later died.
Watch Video Below:
This black man doesn't deserve to die in the hands of this Minneapolis Police officers, not in this manner 🤦#notopolicebrutality pic.twitter.com/f0ilEGhtf7
— Newsblenda (@newsblenda) May 26, 2020
After long struggle with the police the man, was taken by ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center where he was confirmed dead on arrival pic.twitter.com/H4M1yqvfQN
— Newsblenda (@newsblenda) May 26, 2020
