President Trump says he’s ordered the FBI and the Justice Department to investigate the death of George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officers Monday.
Floyd’s death has led to national outrage.
“At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd,” Trump wrote in a tweet.
He followed up in a second tweet, including a shoutout to local police, questionable given the circumstances.
….I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement. My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020
“I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement,” Trump wrote. “My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!”
Floyd, 46, died after three Minneapolis police officers held him down, with one kneeling on his neck, while he repeatedly yelled, “I can’t breathe.” A fourth officer was also present.
Video of Floyd’s death was widely viewed on Twitter.
“My neck hurts. Everything hurts,” Floyd is heard on video telling the cops, who turned a deaf ear to the increasingly desperate calls for mercy. “Water or something, please. I can’t breathe.”
The four officers involved in Floyd’s death, were fired Tuesday afternoon. In an initial police report, the cops claimed Floyd was resisting arrest, but other videos from the encounter only show Floyd cooperating with the officers.
Many people have expressed outrage at Floyd’s death, with protesters taking to the streets in Minneapolis on Tuesday night and calling for the cops to be charged with murder.
Floyd’s death is disturbingly similar to Eric Garner’s in 2014 on Staten Island, and Garner’s mother Gwen Carr said she was “horrified” by the video and described it as “like my son was crying out from the grave.”
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