Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with murder after he was seen kneeling on the neck of black man George Floyd in a video of his arrest that sparked violent protests across the country.
The 44-year-old white cop was arrested by state investigators on Friday afternoon and was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced.
His arrest comes a day after prosecutors had warned there was ‘evidence that did not support criminal charges’ in the case saying they needed to prove Chauvin had used ‘excessive’ force.
Freeman said prosecutors were able to formally lay charges after the office ‘gathered the evidence that we need.’
He did not have immediate details, but said a criminal complaint would be made publicly available later.
As for the other three officers who were fired alongside Chauvin over Floyd’s death – J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao – Freeman said the investigation is still ongoing and prosecutors chose to focus on the ‘most dangerous perpetrator’.
The charges come after three days of riots and protests that erupted across Minneapolis – and several states – demanding justice for 46-year-old Floyd.
-Daily Mail
