Minneapolis Mayor asks for National Guard’s help as city braces for a third night of violence

Minneapolis was bracing for a third night of violence Thursday after George Floyd protests in the city turned deadly Wednesday evening. 

State troopers have already been called in and Mayor Jacob Frey asked for the National Guard’s help after one suspected looter was fatally shot and stores were left ransacked and torched. 

Shocking images Thursday morning show the widespread destruction left in the wake of the protests over the death of Floyd in police custody on Monday. 

Chaos first erupted Tuesday after footage showed a white police officer knelt on the father-of-two’s neck for eight minutes. By Wednesday stores including Wendy’s, Target, Walmart and AutoZone had been looted, ransacked and some set alight before rioters tried to bust open an ATM. 

Mayor Frey on Thursday asked Governor Tim Walz for the Minnesota National Guard’s assistance ahead of more expected protests this evening. FOX 9 reports up to 60 state troopers are already on the ground. 

The mayor tweeted: ‘Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy. The area along Lake has become unsafe. We are asking for your help in keeping the peace tonight.’ 

The fire department said Thursday they were called out to around 30 fires along Lake Street the previous evening, with rocks thrown damaging their equipment. At least 16 fires involved damage to buildings, they said. 

No one was injured as a result but crews remain working on the scene. 

People walk past a completely destroyed Wendy’s Restaurant after a night of rioting and vandalism which followed a second day of protests over the arrest of George Floyd

Firefighters continue to put out smouldering businesses Thursday after a night of rioting and vandalism

Firefighters continue to put out smouldering businesses Thursday after a night of rioting and vandalism

Chaos first erupted Tuesday after footage showed a white police officer knelt on the father-of-two's neck for eight minutes. By Wednesday stores including Wendy's, Target, Walmart and AutoZone had been looted, ransacked and some set alight before rioters tried to bust open an ATM

Chaos first erupted Tuesday after footage showed a white police officer knelt on the father-of-two’s neck for eight minutes. By Wednesday stores including Wendy’s, Target, Walmart and AutoZone had been looted, ransacked and some set alight before rioters tried to bust open an ATM

People stand on a burned up car as fires burn near a Target Store Thursday morning after a night of unrest and protests

People stand on a burned up car as fires burn near a Target Store Thursday morning after a night of unrest and protests

Minneapolis firefighters work to put out a fire Thursday morning. Floyd died after being restrained by police officers Monday

Minneapolis firefighters work to put out a fire Thursday morning. Floyd died after being restrained by police officers Monday

Smoke fills the sky after a night of unrest and protests in the death of George Floyd early Thursday

Smoke fills the sky after a night of unrest and protests in the death of George Floyd early Thursday

A man runs near a burning building after a night of unrest and protests in the death of George Floyd

A man runs near a burning building after a night of unrest and protests in the death of George Floyd

State cops wielded batons and wore body armor and helmets as they lined up against the rioters

State cops wielded batons and wore body armor and helmets as they lined up against the rioters

The suspected looter who was shot dead was killed outside the Cadillac Pawn & Jewelry store. Looters broke into stores including Target, Autozone, Wendy's and Minnehaha Lake Wine and Spirits. The Minneapolis Police building was damaged

The suspected looter who was shot dead was killed outside the Cadillac Pawn & Jewelry store. Looters broke into stores including Target, Autozone, Wendy’s and Minnehaha Lake Wine and Spirits. The Minneapolis Police building was damaged

It comes as:

George Floyd’s (pictured) heartbroken family have called for the cops to be charged with murder and their lawyer revealed white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for a staggering eight minutes during the arrest for forger

  • A video was widely shared on social media on Tuesday showing white officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he pleads to be released before eventually losing consciousness and later dying
  • Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis later that night demanding justice for the 46-year-old, leading to confrontations with police officers firing rubber bullets 
  • Four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest were fired on Tuesday after initially being placed on paid administrative leave  
  • Four fired police officers are named as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng  
  • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called on prosecutors Wednesday to arrest and charge Chauvin   
  • New video footage casts fresh doubt on claims Floyd resisted as two officers are seen manhandling and forcibly removing him from his car and he appears to be complying with officers  
  • Floyd’s family demanded police officer Chauvin be charged with murder, and the other three officers involved charged as murder accomplices
  • A protest started in the streets of downtown LA Wednesday night over Floyd’s death with one man being taken to hospital after he fell from a moving police cruiser 
  • Minneapolis protesters escalated into violence Wednesday as cops and protesters clashed and stores including Target, AutoZone and Walmart were ransacked and set on fire by looters 
  • A looter was shot dead in Minneapolis Wednesday night and officers had arrested a man for homicide

A suspected looter was shot dead outside a pawn shop; Minneapolis Department Police Chief John Elder confirmed the death in a midnight press conference. 

Elder said officers had responded to reports of a possible stabbing at around 9.25pm between Bloomington and Lake Street. The body of a man – who medics later confirmed had been shot – was found lying on the sidewalk outside the Cadillac Pawn shop by police officers who performed CPR on him.  

Videos also showed what was reported to be an apartment building entirely engulfed by flames as rioters stood and watched and the fire department was nowhere to be seen. An AutoZone store was also one of those which was set on fire. 

Outside a GM Tobacco store, a group of four men with huge firearms were seen and said they had come to protect local businesses from looters. 

Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins called ‘racism is a public health issue’ during a press conference Thursday. Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said he ‘cannot allow criminal acts to occur and compound the trauma that already exists’. 

Mayor Jacob Frey on Thursday asked Governor Tim Walz for the Minnesota National Guard's assistance ahead of more expected protests this evening: there are up to 60 state troopers already on the ground

Mayor Jacob Frey on Thursday asked Governor Tim Walz for the Minnesota National Guard’s assistance ahead of more expected protests this evening: there are up to 60 state troopers already on the ground

Shocking images Thursday show the widespread destruction left in the wake of the protests Wednesday

Shocking images Thursday show the widespread destruction left in the wake of the protests Wednesday

'Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy', Mayor Frey tweeted Wednesday evening

‘Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy’, Mayor Frey tweeted Wednesday evening

News of the shooting death topped off a night of chaos across the city as looters ransacked and set fire to stores

News of the shooting death topped off a night of chaos across the city as looters ransacked and set fire to stores

The chaos erupted on day two of protests over the death of George Floyd who died on Monday

The chaos erupted on day two of protests over the death of George Floyd who died on Monday

During the riots, a woman in a wheelchair was punched in the head and sprayed with a fire extinguisher after trying to block protesters – allegedly with a knife in her hand. 

Floyd’s family’s lawyer Ben Crump had issued a statement Thursday morning urging protesters to act peacefully and to not ‘sink to the level of our oppressors’.

He said: ‘I spoke with George Floyd’s family this morning and they would like to thank all of the protesters for joining them in standing for JUSTICE. They know we’re all hurting. They know that any decent human being who watches the video of the police killing their Gentle Giant by having his knee on his neck while he was handcuffed facedown will also feel a shortness of breath like George. 

‘They told me they want peace in Minneapolis, but they know that Black people want peace in their souls and that until we get #JusticeForFloyd there will be no peace. We also cannot sink to the level of our oppressors and we cannot endanger each other as we respond to the necessary urge to raise our voices in unison and in outrage. 

‘Looting and violence distract from the strength of our collective voice. To assuage this death and begin the community’s healing, city and police leaders need to look at the culture they’ve created and ask the hard questions.’

Onlookers watch as smoke smolders from a destroyed restaurant near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct, Thursday

Onlookers watch as smoke smolders from a destroyed restaurant near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct, Thursday

A man carries items past a burned out Auto Zone store near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Thursday

A man carries items past a burned out Auto Zone store near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Thursday

Protests continue over the death of George Floyd, who was seen on video gasping for breath during his arrest

Protests continue over the death of George Floyd, who was seen on video gasping for breath during his arrest

Police officers in riot gears guard the Minneapolis Police Third Precinctt, Thursday after a night of rioting

Police officers in riot gears guard the Minneapolis Police Third Precinctt, Thursday after a night of rioting 

Looters continue to remove good from destroyhed and burned out stores on Thursday morning

Looters continue to remove good from destroyhed and burned out stores on Thursday morning 

Firefighters continue to put out smouldering businesses Thursday after a night of rioting and vandalism

Firefighters continue to put out smouldering businesses Thursday after a night of rioting and vandalism

Wendy's, Target, Walmart and AutoZone were all looted and ransacked and rioters tried to bust open an ATM. Picture: AutoZone was also set on fire.

Wendy’s, Target, Walmart and AutoZone were all looted and ransacked and rioters tried to bust open an ATM. Picture: AutoZone was also set on fire. 

Demonstrators looted a stores in Minneapolis Wednesday evening leaving them ransacked

Demonstrators looted a stores in Minneapolis Wednesday evening leaving them ransacked

A group of vigilantes calling themselves 'heavily armed rednecks' then gathered to stand guard outside local businesses and protect them from looters

A group of vigilantes calling themselves ‘heavily armed rednecks’ then gathered to stand guard outside local businesses and protect them from looters

Looters steal goods from a Target store in Minneapolis in the midst of the second day of protests over George Floyd's death

Looters steal goods from a Target store in Minneapolis in the midst of the second day of protests over George Floyd’s death 

Bystanders filmed the looters as disorder began in the streets of the city on the second day of the rally, after footage emerged Tuesday showing white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of black man George Floyd

Bystanders filmed the looters as disorder began in the streets of the city on the second day of the rally, after footage emerged Tuesday showing white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of black man George Floyd

A fatal shooting and lawsuit for excessive force: What we know about the four officers fired for George Floyd’s arrest

Derek Chauvin

In 2006 Derek Chauvin (pictured), 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes

In 2006 Derek Chauvin (pictured), 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes

The white police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck has already been investigated over three police shootings and a fatal car chase.

In 2006 Derek Chauvin, 44, was one of six officers connected to the death of Wayne Reyes.

Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin.

Also that year he was named in a lawsuit filed by an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility. The case was dismissed in 2007. 

Two years later Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call.

Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officer’s gun and Chauvin shot him.

That same year Chauvin was handed a medal of valor for ‘his response in an incident involving a man armed with a gun.’ 

But in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin.

Tou Thao

Tou Thao (pictured), was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017

Tou Thao (pictured), was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017

Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017.

A lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect ‘until his teeth broke’.

The remaining two officers have been identified as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng.

Both were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods, according to the StarTribune.

Elder said that ‘everything was done that we could do to try to preserve this man’s life’ but the adult male died in hospital. 

The police chief refused to confirm reports that the shooter was the owner of the pawn shop who shot the victim dead because he was looting his store.  

He said this was ‘one theory’ but that police are investigating ‘a couple of different scenarios that might have happened’.

Elder would not divulge what the other scenarios are. He added that there had been no other reports of injuries among protesters or police officers.

The police chief also slammed the actions of looters and rioters which he branded ‘disrespectful’ to Floyd’s family and to all the protesters who gathered peacefully to demand justice over his death. 

‘If people are there to truly honor the man and his family this isn’t how you do it and it’s so disrespectful and it’s heartbreaking,’ he said. 

‘People are utilizing this as a purpose just to make bad decisions.’  

News of the shooting death topped off a night of chaos and destruction across the city as rioters stripped shelves bare, set fire to stores and tried to break into a bank.  

Footage on social media showed car parts company AutoZone up in flames as people were seen hurling rocks through its windows. 

Another structure, said to be a new apartment building, was filmed as flames entirely engulfed it and made it collapse. 

With the fire department initially nowhere to be seen, reports on social media said they were being forced to stay away because of the violent rioters.  

Stores and building near the fire were being splashed with water by citizens in an effort to stop the flames spreading. They were pictured filling buckets from fire hydrants. 

Fire fighters were then seen spraying buildings including the Schooner tavern which had also caught fire. 

At the Target store near the site of Floyd’s arrest, the inside of the store lay in ruins, with stock depleted of all goods and the remaining merchandise flung across the floor.

Witnesses reported thieves using power tools to break open cash registers and trying to access the store’s safes, before it too was set alight and seen engulfed in flames.  

Rioters then turned to a Wendy’s where they sprayed graffiti on the walls before moving onto a bank – trying to bust it open and raid the ATMs.   

A woman in a wheelchair was also punched in the head and sprayed with a fire extinguisher after trying to block protesters – allegedly with a knife in her hand.

The woman claimed she was ‘peacefully protesting’ to stop people from looting a Target store, but she was quickly set upon by a crowd who subdued her. 

The crowd outside the Target store shouted that the woman had a knife, and footage showed her holding what appeared to be a sharp object. 

Named online as Jennifer, she later said she had been ‘punched in the head several times’ before others tried to restrain her.   

Footage of the violent clash has been widely shared on social media, including by conservative writer Andy Ngo. 

A group of four men with huge firearms were seen outside a GM Tobacco store as they said they had come to protect local businesses from looters, reported Minnesota Reformer. 

The vigilantes called themselves ‘heavily armed rednecks’ as they stood guard outside the businesses. 

Disorder erupted in the streets of the city on the second day of the rally over Floyd’s death, after footage emerged Tuesday showing white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the black man’s neck moments before he died in police custody.  

Floyd is heard pleading with Chauvin, saying ‘please, please, I can’t breathe’ and ‘My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts’ while witnesses urged the arresting officers to stop.  

Cops were seen spraying pepper spray into the crowds and outraged Minnesotans threw metal railings at the windows of the police precinct as the two groups clashed on Wednesday. 

This followed chaotic scenes at Tuesday night’s protest where demonstrators were seen dousing their faces in milk to limit the effects of the tear gas and desperately fleeing the hail of rubber bullets raining down on them.   

Floyd was filmed Monday begging the Minneapolis cop to stop and telling him he could not breathe before he lost consciousness and later died

Floyd was filmed Monday begging the Minneapolis cop to stop and telling him he could not breathe before he lost consciousness and later died

A man has been shot dead outside a pawn shop after protests over the death of George Floyd descended into chaos Wednesday night and rioters smashed up stores across the Minneapolis. Pictured: A man poses for photos in front of a fire at an AutoZone store

A man has been shot dead outside a pawn shop after protests over the death of George Floyd descended into chaos Wednesday night and rioters smashed up stores across the Minneapolis. Pictured: A man poses for photos in front of a fire at an AutoZone store

Minneapolis Department Police Chief John Elder confirmed in a midnight press conference that one person was shot and killed and that another person was being held in custody. Pictured: Scores of people were seen in the streets as fires raged around them amid conflicts with police

Minneapolis Department Police Chief John Elder confirmed in a midnight press conference that one person was shot and killed and that another person was being held in custody. Pictured: Scores of people were seen in the streets as fires raged around them amid conflicts with police

One shocking video showed what was reported to be a new apartment building on fire as rioters stood and watched some distance away

One shocking video showed what was reported to be a new apartment building on fire as rioters stood and watched some distance away

Protesters held placards aloft as they came up against police. One read 'stop killer cops'

Protesters held placards aloft as they came up against police. One read ‘stop killer cops’

Several buildings were set on fire during the violent protests, including an apartment building which was under construction

Several buildings were set on fire during the violent protests, including an apartment building which was under construction

Looters also set fire to an AutoZone store and some looked on as one man tried to put the blaze out with a fire extinguisher

Looters also set fire to an AutoZone store and some looked on as one man tried to put the blaze out with a fire extinguisher

Target was also broken into and looted and rioters were seen standing outside the store with their arms in the air. They had also sprayed graffiti on the store's sign

Target was also broken into and looted and rioters were seen standing outside the store with their arms in the air. They had also sprayed graffiti on the store’s sign

As well as Target, looters also broke into smaller stores, including this one selling tobacco

As well as Target, looters also broke into smaller stores, including this one selling tobacco

The new apartment building which was set on fire continued to burn after it had collapsed in on itself

The new apartment building which was set on fire continued to burn after it had collapsed in on itself

The apocalyptic scenes also showed people standing outside the Target store which was looted by rioters

The apocalyptic scenes also showed people standing outside the Target store which was looted by rioters

Protester falls from the hood of a moving police cruiser during LA protest  

A protester was thrown from the hood of a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night as a Black Lives Matter demonstration calling for justice for George Floyd turned violent.

About 1,000 protesters descended on LA following the 46-year-old father-of-two died in Minneapolis Monday, moments after a white cop knelt on his neck for eight minutes until he passed out. 

As protests entered their second day in Minnesota, tensions began building between law enforcement and African-American communities across America, with demonstrators calling for the four officers involved in Floyd’s death to be charged with murder.

The first break-off protest sprung up in downtown LA Wednesday afternoon and quickly escalated into violence.

Shocking aerial footage shows several protesters surrounding a California Highway Patrol cruiser and smashing its back windows on the 101 Freeway.

One protester clambered on the hood before tumbling to the ground when the police officer drove off. The man was seen lying motionless on the ground and covered in blood, but he did regain consciousness and was taken to hospital in an ambulance. 

A second police cruiser that arrived at the scene was also attacked, had its windows smashed and was seen fleeing.  

A protester has fallen off a moving police car in downtown Los Angeles during a rally over George Floyd's death

A protester has fallen off a moving police car in downtown Los Angeles during a rally over George Floyd’s death

Shocking aerial footage showed several protesters surround the car and smash the back window before one man clambered on top of the hood

Shocking aerial footage showed several protesters surround the car and smash the back window before one man clambered on top of the hood

The police officer tried to take off and the man rode on the hood for a few moments before he was sent tumbling off the car into the road

The police officer tried to take off and the man rode on the hood for a few moments before he was sent tumbling off the car into the road 

The march rally began near the Hall of Justice at around 4p.m. local time before protesters marched through the streets toward the area of Temple.

People carried signs reading ‘Black Lives Matter’.

The group then made its way onto the 101 Freeway where they blocked cars along the road. The freeway was forced to shutter.

By around 6.25pm local time, the crowd began moving off the freeway and continued moving through downtown LA streets, reported NBC Los Angeles. 

The protest came hours after Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore issued a statement condemning the video of Floyd’s death as ‘incredibly disturbing’.

The man is seen here being attended to by fellow protesters after falling off the hood of the cop car

The man is seen here being attended to by fellow protesters after falling off the hood of the cop car 

Emergency services rushed to the scene as the man was pictured lying motionless on the ground

Emergency services rushed to the scene as the man was pictured lying motionless on the ground 

Minnesota Governor Walz issued a plea Wednesday for people to practice social distancing and protest peacefully while calling on cops to exercise restraint at the rally.  

A new incident report was also released Wednesday revealing medics arrived at the scene of Floyd’s arrest to find the black man already ‘unresponsive’ and ‘pulseless’. 

Wednesday’s protest started peacefully but clashes soon emerged between the demonstrators and police officers before the city erupted with violence. 

One woman was seen being blasted in the face with pepper spray as she held up a banner with a slogan saying ‘Charge killer cops’.  

People launched missiles including rocks and bottles at the building where the four officers connected to Floyd’s death worked.  

Some protesters also threw debris at a car with pro-Trump and pro-police messaging on it as it drove through the area. 

Police officers and protesters started gathering throughout Wednesday outside the Minneapolis police third precinct close to the scene of Floyd’s arrest.

Flowers and photos were laid outside the Cups Food deli where the incident unfolded Monday to pay homage to the man who family members said was ‘everyone’s favorite person’.  

Many protesters were pictured wearing face masks to protect against the spread of COVID-19 as Governor Walz urged people to practice social distancing.   

Police officers wore riot gear and held bats as they tried to create a human barrier between demonstrators and the precinct.

Some cops were seen stationed on the roof of the building looking down on the crowds gathering below.   

Authorities claimed Tuesday that Floyd had resisted arrest by cops, however footage from the scene has cast doubt on the version of events as it appears to show the 46-year-old father of two cooperating with officers as he is manhandled out of his vehicle and placed in handcuffs outside the Cup Foods grocery store on 38th and Chicago Ave in south Minneapolis.   

The release of the MFD report sheds yet more light on Monday’s shocking events, detailing that fire crew were called to assist medics with a man – called ‘pt’ in the report – who had trauma to his mouth. 

It states that Fire Station 17 of Minneapolis arrived at the scene outside the Cup Foods store to find ‘multiple squads on scene and small crowd of citizens’.  

The report points to confusion at the scene as neither the cops nor bystanders gave information to medics on Floyd or his location.  

It says that while the crew tried to find Floyd to give medical support, they overheard and were told by ‘several people that the police “had killed the man”‘.

The report adds that the bystanders were ‘upset but not unruly’. 

Crew members were finally able to find a cop inside the store who told them medics had put Floyd in an ambulance and left the scene. 

Crew members were also told by an off-duty firefighter who witnessed the end of the struggle that they had seen Floyd become unresponsive on the ground while handcuffed and subdued by cops, the report says. 

Medics then called for assistance and the crew responded to the ambulance which had moved to 36th and Park Avenue. 

Two crew members got into the ambulance where they found ‘an unresponsive, pulseless male’, the report states.  

According to the report, medics never managed to recover a pulse on route to the hospital and Floyd’s ‘condition did not change’. 

Governor Walz broke protocol in his daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday to talk about the ‘tragic events’ in Minneapolis Monday and to send his ‘deepest sympathies’ to Floyd’s family. 

‘Like so many Minnesotans and so many people across the country and world I was shocked and horrified by the video of George Floyd’s death,’ the governor said.

‘It’s very clear to anyone that what happened to George Floyd is wrong,’ Walz said. 

‘The lack of humanity in the video as I said made me physically ill and is even more difficult to understand.’ 

An autopsy has not yet been completed, officials said. 

Walz thanked protesters for their peaceful rally Tuesday night – before making a thinly-veiled dig at law enforcement that some protesters ended up ‘in harm’s way’ at the rally. 

‘When I was with you Saturday I closed by wishing everyone a peaceful Memorial Day,’ Walz said. 

‘Unfortunately Memorial Day evening in Minneapolis was anything but peaceful – and neither was last night.’ 

Walz said he ‘respect[s] the right to peacefully protest’. 

‘It’s how people express their pain, process tragedy and work to create change,’ he said.  

‘But I was saddened to see some of the protesters were in harm’s way last night.’  

Walz also urged protesters to wear face masks and practice social distancing at Wednesday’s rally.

‘I just want to encourage everyone to be safe in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and I want to thank protesters for their commitment to safely protest in the pandemic,’ he said.  

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said the state will ‘get answers’ but also urged protesters to stay safe at the protests.

‘George Floyd should be alive today,’ she said. ‘The grief in this moment is unbearable.’  

Flanagan warned that the same communities most affected by Floyd’s death are those also worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic – as black communities have been disproportionately hard-hit by the outbreak.  

‘Last night we saw those choose to protest their grief and anger wearing masks and distancing themselves,’ she said, adding that she wanted to ‘thank’ those protesters.   

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, also speaking at the press conference, said an investigation into Floyd’s death is now underway.   

Mayor Jacob Frey has called for the white officer who knelt on Floyd's neck to be criminally charged on Wednesday

Derek Chauvin (pictured) was seen pinning him down in video footage that was widely shared on Tuesday. Floyd was heard repeatedly telling cops he can't breathe

Mayor Jacob Frey has called for the white officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck to be criminally charged on Wednesday. Derek Chauvin (pictured) was seen pinning him down in video footage that was widely shared on Tuesday 

CCTV footage from a nearby restaurant shows part of the altercation between Floyd and the officers on the scene. A handcuffed Floyd sits on the ground as a police officer, who was not seen in the original viral video, speaks to him before picking him up and holding him against the wall

CCTV footage from a nearby restaurant shows part of the altercation between Floyd and the officers on the scene. A handcuffed Floyd sits on the ground as a police officer, who was not seen in the original viral video, speaks to him before picking him up and holding him against the wall

Video footage shows the moment George Floyd was pulled from his car by officers during his arrest

Video footage shows the moment George Floyd was pulled from his car by officers during his arrest, moments before he lost consciousness after a white officer knelt on his neck for several minutes

The four fired police officers involved in Monday's incident have been identified as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng

FBI and state law enforcement authorities have launched an investigation into the man's death.

 The four fired police officers involved in Monday’s incident have been identified as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng 

A photo taken across the street from the scene show three officers arresting Floyd as he lay on the ground. The FBI and state law enforcement authorities have launched an investigation into the man's death

A photo taken across the street from the scene show three officers arresting Floyd as he lay on the ground. The FBI and state law enforcement authorities have launched an investigation into the man’s death

There was carnage in stores which had been looted, with smashed bottles and other goods strewn over the floor

There was carnage in stores which had been looted, with smashed bottles and other goods strewn over the floor

EXCLUSIVE: A murderer lives here’: Protesters scrawl graffiti outside the home of white cop Derek Chauvin who knelt on George Floyd’s neck

Protesters gathered outside the home of police officer Derek Chauvin Wednesday, scrawling the word ‘Murderer’ on his driveway. 

The 44-year-old knelt on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes during his arrest on Monday, despite the man begging him to stop and bystanders warning him he was ‘killing’ him.  

A sign was propped up at the end of his driveway reading ‘People don’t kill people, cops do’ as calls mounted for the fired cop to face murder charges over Floyd’s death. 

People descended on his home Wednesday and scrawled the word 'Murderer' on his driveway

People descended on his home Wednesday and scrawled the word ‘Murderer’ on his driveway

Protesters wrote 'A murderer lives here' on the ground outside Chauvin's home

Protesters wrote ‘A murderer lives here’ on the ground outside Chauvin’s home 

Protesters gathered outside the home of the white former police officer who was filmed pinning a black man to the ground by his neck before dying moments layer in police custody

Protesters gathered outside the home of the white former police officer who was filmed pinning a black man to the ground by his neck before dying moments layer in police custody

Other demonstrators carried signs and wore T-shirts reading ‘I can’t breathe’ – some of the last words Floyd said as he begged the police officer for his life. 

Some held signs reading ‘Black Lives Matter’ and pictures of Floyd as they marched on the property.

They were then met by a wall of police officers who had set up security around Chauvin’s home.  

Chauvin, a 19-year veteran of the force, was fired Tuesday after footage surfaced online of Floyd’s arrest.

Ellison said the incident reminds him of historic cases of police conflict with the African-American community, such as the death of Rodney King back in 1991.

‘This is not an isolated case,’ he said. ‘We’re dealing with a systemic problem.’ 

‘This tragic event that took the life of George Floyd is a point in time and an incident involving a person,’ Ellison said. 

‘The reason there is so much outrage is that this is a part of a larger pattern.’ 

John Harrington, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, echoed sentiments from the victim’s family’s lawyer Ben Crump that there are worrying similarities in the case with the death of unarmed black man Eric Garner.

Garner died in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by New York City police and pleaded for his life, saying he could not breathe.     

‘It reminds me so much of the Eric Garner case in New York but I promise you that unlike the Eric Garner case we will not wait years for action,’ he said.  

‘You will not have to wait – there will not be a lag.’

City officials on Wednesday formally identified the four fired police officers involved in Monday’s incident as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng.

The cops, who were initially placed on paid administrative leave, were terminated from the Minneapolis Police Department on Tuesday after footage of Floyd’s arrest was widely shared on social media.  

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called on prosecutors Wednesday to arrest and charge Chauvin for his role in the incident. 

‘If most people, particularly people of color, had done what a police officer did late Monday, they’d already be behind bars,’ Frey said in a tweet on Wednesday. 

‘That’s why today I’m calling on Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to charge the arresting officer in this case.’ 

George Floyd was arrested because he ‘tried to pay store with a counterfeit $20 bill’ as Minneapolis Mayor says he would still be alive if he were white

The Mayor of Minneapolis says he believes George Floyd would still be alive today if he had been white, as it’s revealed the 46-year-old black man was arrested, pinned to the ground, and ‘murdered’ by cops for allegedly trying to pay at a local deli with a counterfeit $20 bill. 

In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Mahmoud Abumayyaleh, the co-owner of Cup Foods deli, broke his silence revealing one of his employees had called the police after Floyd allegedly handed them a bogus bill.

The store owner said a family member then witnessed Floyd being restrained and tried to intervene, reportedly asking the officer to take his knee off the man.  

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said earlier this morning that he considers Floyd’s death to be a murder. 

‘I’m not a prosecutor, but let me be clear. The arresting officer killed someone,’ he told CBS. 

‘He’d be alive today if he were white.’ The facts that I’ve seen, which are minimal, certainly lead me down the path that race was involved.’  

George Floyd

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he believes George Floyd would still be alive today if he were a white man

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on Thursday he believes George Floyd would still be alive today if he had been a white man

The store owner revealed the grocery store has copped backlash following Floyd's killing

The store owner revealed the grocery store has copped backlash following Floyd’s killing 

Abumayyaleh, who said he did not see Floyd resisting arrest, revealed the incident was also captured on the grocery store’s surveillance camera but cannot be shared publicly because it is under investigation.  

He said Floyd had already exited the store after one of his workers had noticed the cash he used was fake.

‘My staff called the police, practicing protocol, and when the police arrived Floyd was still outside and that’s when they approached him,’ he said.   

‘I viewed [the footage] and what I see was devastating. It was very heartbreaking, and our condolences go out to the family and friends of George Floyd.  

‘Our camera angle shows exactly what was reported by the outside bystander. What I see is exactly what you see, ‘ he added. 

Mahmoud Abumayyaleh (center) the co-owner of Cup Foods deli where Floyd allegedly tried to pass a bogus bill, broke his silence on Thursday revealing it was one of his employees who reported him to the police

Mahmoud Abumayyaleh (center) the co-owner of Cup Foods deli where Floyd allegedly tried to pass a bogus bill, broke his silence on Thursday revealing it was one of his employees who reported him to the police

Frey pointed out that most civilians would already be in jail if they had done with police officer was seen doing in the video

Frey pointed out that most civilians would already be in jail if they had done with police officer was seen doing in the video 

Cup Foods, which has been a part of the community for over 30 years, has been in the background of riots and protests over Floyd’s killing and has also received backlash from angry residents, Abumayyaleh said. 

‘Although we have a village of supporters behind us, there’s a small percentage of people who are angry and want answers, and we understand that.

‘But let’s take that anger towards the people who took the action against the individual that killed. Let’s take that anger and use it towards bridging and fixing the problem in our system that is causing minorities in this country to be killed,’ he said. 

REVEALED: White cop who knelt on George Floyd’s neck was involved in a fatal police shooting and one of the other fired officers paid a $25K settlement after being sued for using excessive force in arrest where he punched and kicked a handcuffed suspect 

Two of the cops fired over the arrest of black man George Floyd have already been investigated for their roles in previous use-of-force incidents, it has been revealed. 

Derek Chauvin, 44, the officer filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck during his arrest, is a 19-year veteran of the force who was investigated over a fatal police shooting in 2006.   

Now it’s been revealed Chauvin was investigated for his role in the 2008 shooting of Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic assault call. Toles was wounded after police said he went for an officer’s gun and Chauvin shot him. 

Two years earlier Wayne Reyes, 42 was killed by officers after allegedly pulling a shotgun on the six cops, which included Chauvin, The Star Tribune reports. 

And in 2011 23-year-old Leroy Martinez was shot and injured during a chase given by officers including Chauvin. 

A second officer involved in Monday’s arrest, Tou Thao, was part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017. 

In a lawsuit obtained by the DailyMail.com shows Thao was sued for using excessive force in arrest where he was accused of punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect ‘until his teeth broke’.  

Derek Chauvin, 44, the officer filmed kneeling Floyd's neck during his arrest, is a 19-year veteran of the force who was investigated over a fatal police shooting in 2006

A second officer involved in Monday's arrest, Tou Thao, is said to been part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017

Derek Chauvin, 44, (left) the officer filmed kneeling Floyd’s neck during his arrest, is a 19-year veteran of the force who was investigated over a fatal police shooting in 2006. A second officer involved in Monday’s arrest, Tou Thao, (right) is said to been part of a $25,000 out of court settlement after being sued for using excessive force in 2017

DailyMail.com has contacted Minneapolis police for comment and for the officers' full records with the department. Two other officers arrested in the case have been named as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng

DailyMail.com has contacted Minneapolis police for comment and for the officers’ full records with the department. Two other officers arrested in the case have been named as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng

The second officer, Thao, was sued in 2017 by Lamar Ferguson who said the cop had used excessive force during his arrest. 

A lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com states ‘Defendant Thunder and Defendant Thao’s use of unreasonable force on Plaintiff, in the form of punches, kicks, and knees to the face and body while Plaintiff was defenseless and handcuffed, was so extreme that it caused Plaintiff to suffer broken teeth as well as other bruising and trauma.’ 

The case was settled out of court for $25,000 after Thao said he had punched Ferguson after he ‘actively resisted arrest’.

He wrote: ‘After — at this point he’s actively resisting arrest. He — so I had no choice but to punch him. I punched him in the face.’

All four officers were fired Tuesday. DailyMail.com has contacted Minneapolis police for comment and for the officers’ full records with the department.

Chauvin is said to be represented by lawyer Tom Kelly. He was Jeronimo Yavez’ attorney after the Minnesota police officer fatally shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop in 2016.   

Yavez was found not guilty on all three charges by a jury in 2017.  

The remaining two officers have been identified by the city as Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng.   

Both were reportedly rookie cops who were still in their probationary periods, according to the StarTribune.  

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk