The workplace-related incident involving the death of George Floyd by a former co-worker

On Memorial Day 2020, a teenaged employee of a Minneapolis convenience store called "Cup Foods" phoned police on suspicion that a customer had used a counterfeit bill to pay for cigarettes.

The teen worker was following protocol in contacting the police. Video footage shows that teen and another worker walking towards a parked car and talking to the people sitting inside.

One man in that vehicle was the person who the teen employee had contacted police about.

His name was George Floyd.

One of the four police officers who responded to the call was Derek Chauvin.

Until December 2019, Floyd and Chauvin were co-workers.

Both provided security for a club called El Neuvo Rodeo, although it is not known if the two ever met each other there.

Floyd was taken into custody. After Floyd fell to the ground, Floyd is seen on video lying on his stomach on the street besides Chauvin's police-issued vehicle.

Chauvin knelt on the handcuffed Floyd with one knee on his neck, the other resting on his back. Chauvin remained in that position with two other officers also physically pinning Floyd down, for eight minutes and 46 seconds.

George Floyd

Floyd complained "I can't breathe." He cried out for assistance, and even called for his mother. Bystanders urged police to help Floyd.

Nonetheless, Chauvin continued kneeling on Floyd and did so for over two minutes after Floyd stopped moving. Chauvin continued to physically pin Floyd down until paramedics arrived and rolled a motionless Floyd onto a stretcher.

Paramedics could not find a pulse on Floyd. Shortly thereafter, Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

All week, protests and cries for justice have rung out in Minneapolis and across the United States.

All four police officers involved in the arrest of Floyd were quickly terminated from their positions with the Minneapolis Police Department.

Then yesterday, Chauvin himself was taken into custody and officially charged with the murder of his one time co-worker, George Floyd.

To see the complete charging instrument and probable cause affidavit, go here:

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/6975-derek-chauvin-complaint/cd9e96e708a9b0c8ba58/optimized/full.pdf#page=1