Body camera footage from the arrest and eventual death of George Floyd has been released to the public more than two months after his killing by Minneapolis police officers. The footage, from the body cameras of former Officers Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, was made available Monday after a Hennepin County judge ordered their release. The footage had leaked just a week ago, and multiple news organizations had pushed for the right to publish it.
Running a total time of approximately 65 minutes, the two uncensored videos, which can be viewed on the Star Tribune by clicking here, show documents the moment officers approached Floyd’s vehicle after they received a complaint that Floyd had allegedly attempted to make a purchase with a fake $20 bill at the Cup Foods convenience store on May 25. Lane, one of four officers fired and later charged in the incident, approaches the vehicle and draws his gun when Floyd does not put his hands up, yelling, “Put your f–king hand up there! Keep you f–king hands on the wheel. f–king hands on the wheel!” He does not provide a reasoning for approaching Floyd or for questioning him before he pulls his weapon. Floyd, meanwhile, can be heard in the video pleading for his life, stating, “Please don’t shoot me. Please, man. Please. I’m going to get out now. Please don’t shoot me.”
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Floyd, who tells the officers that he is not resisting arrest but is claustrophobic, is handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser. At one point, Floyd can even be heard stating, “I’ll probably just die this way.” Eventually, officers Derek Chauvin and Tou Thao arrive on the scene, and Floyd is removed from the police vehicle and placed on the sidewalk with Chauvin kneeling on his neck. Throughout the remainder of the video, Floyd can be heard pleading for his life, stating multiple times, “I can’t breathe,” and calling out for his mother. Floyd eventually fell unconscious, after which Chauvin remained knelt on his neck for three minutes longer as bystanders can be heard stating, “He’s not responsive right now, bro” and “check his pulse. The man has not moved.”
Transcript from the video had first been released in mid-July, and the footage had later been leaked. The leak is currently under investigation. The footage followed the release of bodycam footage from Chauvin and Thao that showed brief moments from the incident.
Following Floyd’s death, all four officers involved were fired from the Minneapolis police department as protests against police brutality and systemic racism swept across the globe. Chauvin has since been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. Thao, Lane, and Kueng were also arrested and charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.
