What Really Happened To George Floyd?

Fig.1 NYT.com

This will most likely be the most controversial post I have made this year but because of the politicization surrounding the death of George Floyd. However, I believe it is important to be updated and aware of what really happened. Often people are quick to  assume things about the people involved in the incident without knowing the relevant details. This leads people to have opinions about an issue they know almost nothing about. Many members of the media have contributed to this fog, because they spin the narrative of “racist white cop kills unarmed black man” to further their agenda.

Lets start with the background of the case. George Floyd a Minneapolis resident was reported to police because he used a counterfeit 20 dollar bill to buy a pack of cigarettes. When the police arrived they attempted to detain George Floyd and what most Americans saw was derrick Chovin on the neck of George Floyd for minutes until he was taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Fig.2 Washingtonpost.com

If this was truly what happened then this would be an open and shut case. However what actually happened was much more complicated than it seems. For those who watch the full videos of the events that unfolded they can begin to get a better understanding of the tragedy. So what actually happened? Looking at the event again George Floyd used a counterfeit 20 dollar bill to buy a pack of cigarettes and when the clerk noticed the note was fake asked for Floyd to return the cigarettes and leave. Floyd refused and so the clerk called the police and explained the situation. When the police arrived Floyd was in his car with members of his family. The officers requested for him to get out of the car while they detained him so they could take him to jail to be processed. Floyd got out stubbornly and allowed the officers to arrest him. While he was cuffed Floyd stated that he would like to go to the ground and the officers allowed him to. It is important to mention that at this point George Floyd had overdosed on fentanyl.

The officers tried to get him back up and into the police car but Floyd not wanting to comply kicked one of the officers in arm to get his arms off of him. Floyd said that he would get in the car if one of the officers would sit in the back with him and roll down the windows. The officers agreed but George was still unwilling to go. At this point Derick Chovin tried to restrain Floyd as onlookers gathered and threatened the officers. Floyd was eventually take to the hospital when the ambulance arrived but as previously mention died.

There are many relevant facts that I mentioned that most people do not hear by the media, which is why I felt the need to clarify the situation for those who wish to have an objective layout of the events that occurred.

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