George Floyd’s family says Minneapolis police officers should face murder charges

MINNEAPOLIS — The family of a black man who died after video showed a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck as he struggled to breathe and begged for his life is demanding that the officers involved in his death face murder charges.

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George Floyd death sparks more protests Debris and carts are strewn in the Target parking lot near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct, Thursday, May 28, 2020, following a night of rioting and looting as protests continue over the arrest of George Floyd who died in police custody. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. A video taken by a bystander shows a Minneapolis police officer with his knee on the neck of a man in custody who later died. The four officers involved have been fired.(AP Photo/Jim Mone) (Jim Mone/AP)

George Floyd death sparks more protests NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: Protesters clash with police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 28, 2020 in Union Square in New York City. Floyd's death was captured in video that went viral of the incident. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard today as looting broke out in St. Paul. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images) (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

George Floyd death sparks more protests A protester holds her sign at the Hennepin County Government Center, Thursday, May 28, 2020, as protests continue over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody Monday night in Minneapolis after video shared online by a bystander showed a white officer kneeling on his neck during his arrest as he pleaded that he couldn't breathe. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) (Jim Mone/AP)

George Floyd death sparks more protests A protester holds a photo of George Floyd during a protest at the Hennepin County Government Center, Thursday, May 28, 2020, as protests continue over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody Monday night in Minneapolis after video shared online by a bystander showed a white officer kneeling on his neck during his arrest as he pleaded that he couldn't breathe. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) (Jim Mone/AP)

George Floyd death sparks more protests NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: A protesters is detained by police during a rally against the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of police on May 28, 2020 in Union Square in New York City. Floyd's death was captured in video that went viral of the incident. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard today as looting broke out in St. Paul. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images) (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

George Floyd death sparks more protests Firefighters stand as an aerial hose sends water on hot spots of a building destroyed near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Minneapolis, after a night of rioting and looting as protests continue over the death of George Floyd, who was seen on video gasping for breath during an arrest in which an officer kneeled on his neck. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) (Jim Mone/AP)

George Floyd, 46, died Monday after officers detained him for questioning in connection with a possible forgery in progress, authorities said. On Tuesday, police said four officers involved in the man’s death had been fired.

“I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because that’s exactly what they did,” Bridgett Floyd said Wednesday during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show. “They murdered my brother. He was crying for help.”

In a 10-minute video posted on social media and captured by a passerby, bystanders can be heard pleading with police to let Floyd up as he struggles to breathe.

"Bro, he's not even (expletive) moving," a bystander can be heard saying in the video. "Get off his neck!"

The video showed Floyd was unconscious by the time an ambulance arrived to take him to a hospital.

“The police killed him, bro, right in front of everybody,” said the woman who shot the video, Darnella Frazier, according to The Washington Post. “He was crying, telling them like, ‘I can’t breathe,’ and everything. … They killed this man.”

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Floyd’s family, said videos showed an officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes. He likened the 46-year-old’s death to that of Eric Garner, who died July 17, 2014, after being placed in a chokehold by police in New York City. Video of that situation showed Garner pleading with police for air as officers ignored him.

"It's a 'I can't breathe' again case in 2020, and it's worse than Eric Garner in many ways because you hear the people even pleading with them, 'Please get your knee off his neck. Have some humanity. This is a human being,'" Crump said.

Watch our full interview with Bridgett Floyd, the sister of George Floyd, who died after being pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer. She joins us with attorney Ben Crump to talk about why she believes the officers involved should face murder charges. pic.twitter.com/t28gQhCrNk
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 27, 2020

Mayor Jacob Frey said Wednesday that he also believes the officers involved in Floyd's death should face murder charges. He noted that the technique used by the officer who subdued Floyd was not approved by the police department and should not have been used.

"We are not talking about a split-second decision that was made incorrectly," Frey said.

"There's somewhere around 300 seconds in those five minutes, every one of which the officer could have turned back. Every second of which he could have removed his knee from George Floyd's neck. Every one of which he could have listened to community around him, clearly saying that he needed to stop. Every one of which -- you heard George Floyd himself articulating the pain he was feeling and inability to breathe."

Authorities, including the FBI, are investigating the death.

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