Bodycam footage released in the George Floyd arrest shows new and graphic details that resulted in his violent death while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
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Transcripts from the video were released in mid-July. However, the actual recordings are now obtained and released exclusively by Daily Mail on Monday. The footage shows over 18 minutes from now-former Officer Alex Kueng‘s bodycam and 10 minutes from the bodycam of former Officer Thomas Lane.
Both aforementioned officers were rookies, only in the field less than a week before the incident. Video shows a staff member of Cup Foods telling the police which vehicle Floyd sat in after allegedly attempting to purchase cigarettes with a counterfeit bill.
“Before they drive off. He’s parked right here. It’s a fake bill from the gentleman,” he says.
The two cops approach the SUV and as soon as Floyd opens the door. Lane is shown immediately drawing his firearm, pointing straight at his head.
A terrified Floyd is then pulled out of the vehicle in tears, trying his best to comply with the officer’s panicked demands. Shawanda Hill, Floyd’s ex-girlfriend, and another friend, Maurice Hall are in the back seat.
“Hey man, I’m sorry,” Floyd exclaims as the officers shout “Jesus Christ, keep your f**king hands on the wheel.”
He shares with law enforcement his fear as he’s been shot before. However, the officers make no note in their treatment of him as they continue their attempt to make an arrest.
“Okay, well when I say ‘Let me see your hands,’ you put your f***ing hands up,” Lane can be heard saying.
After being removed from the vehicle and placed in handcuffs, officers ask the passengers for more information on Floyd’s apprehensive behavior toward them. They are informed by Hill of his previous police encounters.
“Because he’s been shot before,” she answers when asked about his nervousness.
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Next, the officers attempt to place Floyd in the back of their squad car when he begins to panic. Citing claustrophobia, anxiety, and other medical issues, Floyd begs not to be left alone in the backseat.
“Please man, don’t leave me by myself man, please. I’m just claustrophobic,” he pleads.
He continues, “I’m going to die, man. I just had COVID, man. I don’t want to go back to that.”
Officer Lane rolls down the windows but it makes no difference.
After Floyd is eventually placed in the backseat with the rear driver’s side door shut, he first states, “I can’t breathe.”
They are the last words he would later repeat.
While he struggles in the backseat, it appears now-former Officers Derek Chauvin and Tou Thao finally arrive at the escalating scene as they are first seen on camera.
A handcuffed Floyd falls from the rear passenger side door, and seconds later, Chauvin is pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck. A crowd gathers who tells the officers “check his pulse.”
As Floyd tells the officers “I can’t breathe,” they respond, discrediting his response.
“‘You’re fine. You’re talking fine,” says Keung, who is seen picking a small stone from the car tire with his right hand as he restrains Floyd’s legs with his left.
Floyd shouts out, “I’m claustrophobic. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. I need some water or something, please.”
He is met with snark from Chauvin.
“Then stop talking,” Chauvin says. He continues, “It takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk.”
The video progresses to the fatal moment when Floyd took his last breath and EMT’s loading his lifeless body into an ambulance.
According to CNN, the bodycam footage was introduced into evidence by Lane’s legal team in support of a motion to dismiss the charges against the former rookie cop.
All four officers involved were fired following Floyd’s death. Chauvin faces charges including, second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Kueng, Lane, and Thao are all charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
theGrio previously reported that the Floyd family plans to file a civil suit against Chauvin as well.
Watch the video below. Warning, the bodycam footage displays police brutality, emotional trauma, and death.
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