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Former Officer Accused Of Killing George Floyd Charged With 3rd Degree Murder And Manslaughter, Announces Hennepin County Prosecutor

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Shelby Talcott Senior White House Correspondent
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The former officer accused of killing George Floyd was arrested Friday and charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter, according to Hennepin County prosecutor Mike Freeman.

Floyd, a black man, died Monday after police pinned him to the ground during an arrest for alleged forgery and one officer, Derek Chauvin, stepped on his neck for several minutes. Video footage showed Floyd crying out that he could not breathe.

After days of increasingly volatile riots over Floyd’s death, Chauvin was arrested and taken into custody, according to the Associated Press. The arrest comes after the 3rd Police Precinct building was burned by rioters Thursday evening. (RELATED: Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct On Fire After Officers Evacuate Building Amid George Floyd Riots)

“I’m here to announce that former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin is in custody,” Freeman said during a press conference. “Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged by head of the county attorney’s office with murder and with manslaughter.”

Freeman then elaborated and said that Chauvin was “charged with 3rd degree murder” and “subsequent charges” may come later. They are “in the process of continuing to review the evidence,” he added.

“We have now been able to put together the evidence that we need. Even as late as yesterday afternoon, we did not have all that we needed,” Freeman added according to WCCO. “This is by far the fastest that we’ve ever charged a police officer.”

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington announced the original arrest Friday, but did not have information about the charges at that time.

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It is not immediately known where Chauvin was taken into custody. The other officers involved have not been arrested, Harrington added. Floyd’s death has sparked backlash around the country.