After three nights of violent protests left parts of the city in flames, the Minneapolis police officer accused of killing a handcuffed African American man was charged with murder on Friday, as authorities declared a curfew.
Derek Chauvin, the white officer filmed kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed George Floyd for nearly nine minutes, was charged with one count of third degree murder – unintentionally causing a death – and one count of negligent manslaughter.
“This case is now ready, and we have charged it,” said county prosecutor Mike Freeman amid outrage over the latest death of an African American in police custody.
Relatives of the 46-year-old Floyd — who spoke Friday with President Donald Trump — welcomed news of the arrest as a “step on the road to justice,” but said they hoped for tougher charges and action against the other officers involved in Floyd’s detention and death.
Freeman said the three other officers were also under investigation, and that he anticipated charges. All four officers were fired from the police department Tuesday after video surfaced of Monday’s arrest.
The announcement of charges came hours after hundreds of troops were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul to try to prevent a fourth night of violent protests.
