Derek Chauvin

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the street. Two other officers further restrained Floyd, who had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill, and a fourth prevented onlookers from intervening as Floyd begged for his life and repeatedly said 'I can't breathe'. During the final three minutes Floyd was motionless and had no pulse, but the officers ignored onlookers' pleas that Chauvin remove his knee from Floyd's neck, which he did not do even as arriving medics attempted to treat Floyd. All four officers were fired the day after Floyd's death. Two autopsies found Floyd's death to be a homicide. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. The other three officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.