George Floyd, Died Under The knee Of A White Policeman
"He was looking for a new start": George Floyd, 46, died under the knee of a white policeman
Originally
from Texas, the man whose death caused riots across the country sought to start
his life in Minneapolis, between odd jobs and galleys caused by confinement.
He had left Texas to start a new life in Minneapolis, in the northern United States. But George Floyd, the 46-year-old African American, described as a generous man who lost his job during the pandemic crisis, died face down, his neck below the knee of a white police officer.
"Everyone loved my brother," said Philonese Floyd Tuesday, the day after the death that sparked protests in several cities and rekindled calls to end "systemic" racism in America . 'C' [was] a gentle giant " , he told CNN . “He never [ hurt ] anyone. "
The deceased had first found work as a trucker in Minnesota, then as a security guard in a restaurant, the Conga Latin Bistro, before the confinement dealt a serious blow to business. "It made us feel safe," testified Luz Maria Gonzalez, a regular customer of the establishment, with the public radio NPR . "At the end of the evening, he said: " Hey Luz, I will wait with you until you get in the taxi.” ”
"He said he wanted to touch the world"
Others spoke of George Floyd's efforts to improve his life. “I remember he said he wanted to touch the world. He wanted to make an impact on the world, ” said Jonathan Veal, a childhood friend, to KPRC in Houston , where they went to Jack-Yates High School together. At two meters tall, George Floyd had shone in basketball and American football, and had also tried hip-hop.But as the British daily The Guardian explains , his life then took another turn. The American press agency AP explains that when he lived in Texas, George Floyd was charged with armed robbery during a burglary. It was in Houston in 2007. He was finally sentenced to five years in prison in 2009, as part of a plea deal .
After serving his sentence, and unable to find work there, he decided to leave Houston. Direction Minneapolis, where several of his childhood friends had already left and pushed him to join him. "He was looking for a new start," said Christopher Harris, one of them. “He was happy with his development. " Jonathan Veal said he exchanged with his friend for the last time in January, by SMS. There are "little things that I have to deal with for my little ones," wrote George Floyd. “My faith is coming back to where it needs to be. "
On May 25, as shown in a multi-minute video that went viral, George Floyd died after a policeman pressed his knee to his neck while he was on the ground in the street, unarmed and handcuffed. "Please, please, I can't breathe," we hear him say. Police suspected he had used a counterfeit $ 20 bill to buy cigarettes, told by a grocery store employee who called the 911 emergency number. The Washington Post published a timeline (based on several video documents) retracing the last minutes of his life.
"He did everything he needed, and they killed him"
For Bridgett Floyd, the death of his brother thus, at the hands of the police, "is heartbreaking». »This is exactly what they did. They killed my brother. He shouted for help «, she told NBC News .
Four police officers were laid off after the death of George Floyd. Derek Chauvin, the man who kept his knee on his neck, was arrested on Friday and charged with manslaughter.
George Floyd "was nothing less than an angel sent to earth," his girlfriend Courtney Ross reacted to CBS News. "And we demonized him, and we killed him," she said. George Floyd had, according to the American media, two children. Roxie Washington, the mother of her 6-year-old daughter in Houston, described him as a devoted father. "Because he was so tall, people thought he was looking for a fight," she said, quoted by the Houston Chronicle . "But he was a loving person, and he loved his daughter. "
One of George Floyd's longtime friends, Stephen Jackson, has become an NBA star. What has not changed their friendship, assures the sportsman. "It was called " Twin " (sister) " , he recounted, visibly moved, in a video on Instagram . "He was changing his life," moving to Minnesota for work, to support his children, he said. "My guy was doing everything he needed, and they killed him. "
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