After George Floyd’s death, riots and protests have been taking place across Minneapolis and the United States, often ending in violence, fires, and lootings across the city.
Just last night, May 28, a Minnesota police station was stormed by protesters and set ablaze.
Courtney Ross, Floyd’s girlfriend of three years, has spoken out saying how the riots would ‘devastate him’.
“Waking up this morning to see Minneapolis on fire would be something that would devastate Floyd. He loved the city. He came here (from Houston) and stayed here for the people and the opportunities, Floyd was a gentle giant. He was about love and about peace.”
According to The Star Tribune, Courtney added that she understands people’s frustrations but wants them to protest in a peaceful way.
On Monday, May 25, Floyd was arrested by Minneapolis police for reportedly using a counterfeit $20 note in a shop. According to witnesses, one of the officers knelt on his neck for around eight minutes while being detained. Floyd lost consciousness and later died.
Despite people calling for the four officers involved in the horrific incident to be arrested, preliminary findings from the county have yet to declare Floyd’s death a homicide, and further investigations are pending.
The president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, Michelle Gross believes there’s enough evidence to put the four men behind bars.
“There is plenty of probable cause to arrest the men who murdered George Floyd. These men are a danger to society. If this murder had been committed by members of the community, they would be sitting in jail right now awaiting trial.”
Former police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, the man who knelt on Floyd’s neck has since been fired from the force. Chauvin has also been involved in three past shootings.
The former police officer was one of six officers connected to the 2006 death of Wayne Reyes. Reyes, 42, was fatally shot after allegedly pulling a gun on the officers.
In 2008, he was investigated for his involvement in the shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call. Chauvin reportedly shot Toles in the abdomen after he went for one of the officers’ guns.
While in 2011, according to the MailOnline, Chauvin was also among the officers involved in the shooting of 23-year-old Leroy Martinez, who was injured during a police chase.