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A new video of George Floyd’s arrest has surfaced after CBS News obtained footage from a nearby restaurant that appears to show Floyd complying with Minneapolis police officers. However, two other videos have also emerged from the scene that provide additional information.
You can watch all three videos later in this article. They shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the death of George Floyd, which has ignited protests and riots throughout the United States.
Floyd died after the Minneapolis Police Department described him as suffering “medical distress.” However, cell phone footage from a bystander showed Floyd lying prone and handcuffed on the ground as a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than seven minutes, even after Floyd appeared to become non-responsive. The criminal complaint against Officer Derek Chauvin says that “Mr. Floyd actively resisted being handcuffed.” Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
The statement from police also said that Floyd “physically resisted officers” after he had exited his vehicle.
Here’s what you need to know:
Restaurant Security Cameras Appear To Show Floyd Complying With Police But Other Videos Give More Details
New video from a restaurant security camera obtained by @CBSNews raises questions as to whether #GeorgeFloyd was ever resisting arrest in the first place.
The new video shows Floyd being cuffed and led to the sidewalk, where he sits down and appears to wait. The full video can be seen here.
More footage from the restaurant shows Floyd being helped up from where he sat on the sidewalk and walking with officers out of the shot of the restaurant security camera, where he still appears to be complying with police:
What both videos show has raised questions about the Minneapolis Police Department’s statement, which alleged that Floyd had “resisted officers”:
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. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.
Other video has emerged showing Floyd’s encounter with police before the video that went viral showing the officer with a knee to his neck.
New video sent to us shows the moment George Floyd was removed from his vehicle and handcuffed on 38th and Chicago.
Video courtesy of Christopher Belfrey
A third video emerged showing a struggle in the car.
Officer Derek Chauvin has now been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the case. The three other officers at the scene were fired, as was Chauvin. Although the Hennepin County Medical Examiner did not find evidence supporting asphyxia as a cause of death, independent pathologists hired by Floyd’s family found he died of asphyxia due to the pressure applied by officers.
The Criminal Complaint Describes the Circumstances of Floyd’s Death
Benjamin CrumpGeorge Floyd.
Floyd was described by friends, family and colleagues as a “gentle giant,” a polite and respected man. Video of his arrest went viral, showing Officer Derek Chauvin, identified by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, with his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than seven minutes as Floyd’s arms were cuffed behind his back and other officers were holding him down.
In the video, Floyd is on the ground repeatedly telling officers he cannot breathe, that he is in pain and that he needs help. Bystanders can be heard in the video growing distressed, pointing out that Floyd had begun bleeding from his nose, was no longer a threat and seemed to be struggling to breathe. Then he stopped moving altogether.
The video eventually shows Floyd’s limp body being lifted onto a stretcher. He was pronounced dead a short time later. The video that went viral, below, is very disturbing.
The criminal complaint, which you can read here, says that a person called 911 on May 25, 2020, and reported that a man “bought merchandise from Cup Foods…with a counterfeit $20 bill.”
Officers Thomas Lane and J.A. Kueng arrived at 8:08 p.m. They learned from store personnel that the man “who passed the counterfeit $20 was parked in a car around the corner from the store on 38th Street.”
The officers’ body-worn cameras show that the officers approached the car, with Lake on the driver’s side and Kueng on the passenger side. Three people were in the car. George Floyd was in the driver’s scene and an adult male and female were also in the vehicle, the complaint says.
The complaint further alleges:
As Officer Lane began speaking with Floyd, “he pulled his gun out and pointed it at Mr. Floyd’s open window and directed Mr. Floyd to show his hands.” Floyd put his hands on the steering wheel, so Lane put his gun back in its holster. (The body cam videos have not yet been released publicly.)
When Kueng was speaking with the front seat passenger, Lane ordered Floyd out of the car, put his hands on Floyd, and pulled him out of the car, handcuffing him. “Mr. Floyd actively resisted being handcuffed,” the complaint alleges.
Once handcuffed, Floyd “became compliant” and walked with Lane to the sidewalk, sitting on the ground at Lane’s direction. There was a conversation for under two minutes. Lang asked Floyd for his name and identification and whether he was on anything and explained he was arrested Floyd for passing counterfeit currency, the complaint stated.
Kueng and Lane stood Floyd up and attempted to walk him to their squad car at 8:14 p.m. Floyd “stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic.”
That’s when Chauvin and Officer Tou Thao arrived in a separate squad car.
“The officers made several attempts to get Mr. Floyd in the backseat of squad 320 from the driver’s side. Mr. Floyd did not voluntarily get in the car and struggled with the officers by intentionally falling down, saying he was not going in the car, and refusing to stand still,” the complaint alleges. “Mr. Floyd is over six feet tall and weighs more than 200 pounds.”
While standing outside the car, Floyd began “saying and repeatedly that he could not breathe.” Chauvin went to the passenger side and “tried to get Mr. Floyd into the car from that side and Lane and Kueng assisted,” according to the complaint.
Chauvin “pulled Mr. Floyd out of the passenger side of the squad car at 8:19:38 p.m. and Mr. Floyd went to the ground face down and still handcuffed,” said the complaint.
It alleged that Kueng held Floyd’s back and Lane held his legs. Chauvin placed his left knee in the area of Floyd’s head and neck. Floyd said, “I can’t breathe” multiple times and repeatedly said, “Mama.”
“The defendant and the other two officers stayed in their positions,” according to the complaint.
The officers said, “You are talking fine,” to Floyd. Lane asked, “should we roll him on his side?” Chauvin allegedly responded, “No, staying put where we got him.”
Lane said, “I am worried about excited delirium or whatever.” Chauvin said, “That’s why we have him on his stomach,” according to the complaint, which added that “none of the three officers moved from their positions.”
The body cam video shows that Floyd continued to move and breathe but stopped moving at 8:24:24.
At 8:25:31, the video appears to show Floyd ceasing to breathe or speak. Lane said, “I want to roll him on his side.” Kueng checked Floyd’s right wrist for a pulse and said, “I couldn’t find one.” None of the officers moved from their positions.
At 8:27:24, Chauvin removed his knee from Floyd’s neck. An ambulance arrived and Floyd was placed on a gurney. Floyd was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center.
The Four Officers Involved Have Since Been Fired
Despite the restaurant security camera footage and the bystander video of the incident, there are still moments of interaction between Floyd and the police that remain unaccounted for. Body camera videos also exist, but they have not yet been released.
Body camera footage from the officers involved has yet to be released. However, all four officers involved were fired, according to a tweet by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Tuesday afternoon.
Four responding MPD officers involved in the death of George Floyd have been terminated.
This is the right call.
All four officers have since been identified: Chauvin, whose knee was on Floyd’s neck; Officer Tou Thao, who interacted with the crowd as events unfolded; Thomas Lane; and J. Alexander Kueng. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo asked for a federal investigation after receiving more information from community sources, according to the Star Tribune.
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