Governor Walz Sickened by Video of Officer Involved Death
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Governor Tim Walz today called for an accurate, fair, and expeditious investigation into the death of George Floyd.
Walz says he was shocked and horrified by the cell phone video of a police officer pinning the 46-year-old man to the ground by pushing a knee against his neck until he lost consciousness. He added that viewing the video, which included audio of Floyd clearly calling for help because he was having trouble breathing, made him feel ill.
In calling for a thorough investigation of the actions of the Minneapolis Police officers involved in the incident that led to his death, Governor Walz said, "George Floyd did not deserve to die, but he does deserve justice." He also stated he didn't want to say anything that could affect the outcome of the investigation.
State Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says the investigation is in its early stages and noted an autopsy to determine the cause of Floyd's death still hasn't been conducted. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the FBI are both investigating, with the state agency exploring whether the officers will face criminal charges in Minnesota Courts and the FBI looking into possible federal civil rights law violations.
The Minneapolis Police Department earlier today identified the four officers involved in the deadly incident. Derek Chauvin was identified as the officer with his knee pressed against Floyd's neck. He, along with Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexandr Kueng were fired yesterday by the Minneapolis Police Department.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey today called on the Hennepin County Attorney to immediately bring charges against all four men. He spoke at an early afternoon news conference and stated he could not understand why they were not in jail.
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