Police video of Minneapolis officers pointing a gun at George Floyd and struggling with him during his arrest which led to his death has been released to the public on Monday, August 10.
Floyd, a handcuffed Black man, died after former officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes. His death sparked protests worldwide.
Read Also: US Police Derek Chauvin Who Killed George Floyd By Kneeling On His Neck Charged With Murder
The footage have now became available after a Hennepin County judge ordered for its release.
International publications had already viewed and written about the footage but they pressed for the right to publish it, which was eventually approved.
The video comes from the body cameras of former Officers Thomas Lane and J. Kueng who were first to respond to a call from a store that accused Floyd of using a fake $20 note.
The footage shows Floyd pleading with the officers as they struggle to place him in a squad car in the minutes before his death on May 25.
Lane’s video shows him pulling his gun when Floyd does not immediately show his hands.
Crying Floyd said; “Please don’t shoot me, man. I just lost my mom, man. I’m so sorry.”
At one point, Floyd pleads with the officers sobbing, putting his head on the steering wheel. Around three minutes into the video, the officers forcibly pulled Floyd from the car and handcuff him.
Another struggle ensues when Lane and Kueng attempt to put Floyd in a police SUV. He told the officers he is not resisting but that he is claustrophobic and has just had COVID-19. Floyd pleads that he cannot breathe, and says “Momma” as he is held on the ground.
Floyd throughout was yelling; “I can’t breathe” but Kueng tried to push Floyd in through a back door of the SUV, while Lane pulled him from the opposite door.
Around 16 minutes into the footage, Floyd utters his final words: “Man, I can’t breathe.”
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Lane, Kueng and another officer, Tou Thao, are charged with aiding and abetting. All four have also been fired.
Watch body camera footage below;
