George Floyd was attacked in back of police car before murder, video shows

New video of George Floyd’s arrest before he was pinned to the ground and died shows a violent struggle in the back of the police car.

Sarah McPhee

3 min read

June 1, 2020 - 1:22PM

New CCTV footage has emerged of Minneapolis Police officers in a violent struggle with George Floyd in the back of their car before he was later pinned to the ground and died.

While the 46-year-old father-of-two cannot explicitly be seen in the video from May 25, one officer leans into the back of the car and his legs shuffle around as he visibly struggles with someone in the back seat.

The officers then convene on one side of the car where Floyd was held down onto the road.

The video was shared on Instagram on Sunday by American civil rights and Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King.

The post is captioned: “It’s all coming together. Police were in the car beating the s**t out of George Floyd. One stands watch, while the others attacked him.”

One officer appears to stare directly at the camera. Picture: Instagram/@shaunking

The four officers were identified last Wednesday as Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas K. Lane. They have all been sacked by Police Chief Medaria Arradondo.

According to a statement of probable cause, filed in the District Court in Minnesota on May 29, the officers “made several attempts to get Mr Floyd in the back seat” of the squad car.

It claims he “did not voluntarily get in the car and struggled with the officers by intentionally falling down, saying he was not going in the car, and refusing to stand still”.

Officers tried to get him into the car from the driver’s side and passenger side, the statement says, before he “went to the ground face down and still handcuffed” where he was held down.

The officer who was struggling in the car then slams the door. Picture: Instagram/@shaunking

Chauvin, 44, was charged last week with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The white police officer was filmed by bystanders with his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes.

Floyd could be heard saying he couldn’t breathe before he became limp and unresponsive.

Chauvin also was accused of ignoring another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd, a black man, as he lay handcuffed on the ground.

Police were called after a grocery store employee claimed Floyd, who had worked as a security guard at a local Latin bistro prior to COVID-19 closures, had tried to pay using a counterfeit $20 note, considered a case of alleged “forgery in progress”.

George Floyd is pinned to the ground under the knee of officer Derek Chauvin. Picture: Darnella Frazier/Facebook/AFP

Floyd’s family’s lawyer, Benjamin Crump, believes there’s enough evidence to show Chauvin’s actions were premeditated and for more serious murder charges to be filed.

He told CBS: “We don’t understand how that is not first-degree murder.”

Multiple videos have since emerged from the scene at the intersection of East 38th St and Chicago Ave in Minneapolis.

One shared by Mr Crump shows the officers either pinning Floyd down or standing around.

“He was clearly NOT RESISTING,” Mr Crump said.

“They need to be held accountable … we’ve got one (Derek Chauvin), now three more to go.”

THE VIDEO EVIDENCE IS CLEAR! Why did THREE officers need to kneel on #GeorgeFloyd, when he was clearly NOT RESISTING?! They need to be held accountable... We've got one (Derek Chauvin), now three more to go. #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForGeorge pic.twitter.com/KHg2k9bcK2
— Benjamin Crump, Esq. (@AttorneyCrump) May 29, 2020

According to the complaint, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes, including nearly three minutes after he stopped moving and talking.

An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, likely contributed to his death.

Chauvin’s wife has filed for divorce.

The police chief told CNN on Sunday the other three officers were “complicit” in the death.

“In my mind, this was a violation of humanity,” Mr Arradondo said.

“This was a violation of the oath that the majority of the men and women that put this uniform on, this goes absolutely against it. This is contrary to what we believe in.”

All four officers involved in the death of George Floyd were â€œcomplicit," including the three who haven't been arrested, says Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, responding to a question asked by @sarasidnerCNN on behalf of Floydâ€™s brother. https://t.co/JiE3Mx8xF2 pic.twitter.com/yalvaWfpDV
— CNN (@CNN) June 1, 2020