The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, led to significant national and international protests against police brutality and systemic racism.
The widely shared video of Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck while he pleaded for air triggered widespread outrage. In addition to Chauvin, the other officers involved—Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng—were also fired and faced charges.
Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in April 2021, receiving a 22.5-year prison sentence.
The case brought renewed focus to issues of police conduct and racial injustice.
The other three officers involved in George Floyd’s death—Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng—were also held accountable. Each of them faced legal consequences:
- Thomas Lane was sentenced to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
- Tou Thao received a sentence of 4 years and 9 months after being found guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
- J. Alexander Kueng was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
These sentences were part of the broader legal and societal reckoning that followed George Floyd’s death.
George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, after being restrained by Officer Derek Chauvin for over nine minutes, was ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.
The report cited the combined effects of the officers’ use of force, the presence of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Floyd’s system, and his underlying health conditions.
The bystander video of the incident went viral, sparking widespread protests against police brutality and systemic racism across the United States.
The scale and intensity of the demonstrations were unprecedented since the civil rights movements of the 1960s.
The National Guard was deployed in at least 21 states, and numerous cities imposed curfews in response to the unrest, which at times led to property damage and clashes with law enforcement.
The response by law enforcement to the protests following George Floyd’s death faced significant criticism.
Although many of the protests were peaceful, some were met with aggressive tactics, including the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and mass arrests.
These actions contributed to further controversy and scrutiny of police practices.
In the wake of the video going viral and the ensuing public outcry, the Minneapolis Police Department took the step of firing Officer Derek Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest—Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng.
This decision was part of the broader response to the demands for accountability and reform in policing.
On the evening of May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police responded to a call about George Floyd allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes.
The initial police statement mentioned that Floyd “appeared to be under the influence,” and claimed that he resisted officers when asked to step away from his car.
The statement also noted that officers observed Floyd in medical distress and called for an ambulance.
However, the initial police account omitted crucial details about the encounter.
The bystander video, which went viral, and later released officer body camera footage provided a more complete and disturbing picture of the incident, revealing the extended duration of Floyd’s restraint and the extent of the officers’ actions, which led to widespread outrage and demands for justice and police reform.
The body camera footage revealed critical details of the encounter between George Floyd and the police officers.
It showed Officer Thomas Lane approaching Floyd’s car and initially asking him to show his hands.
George Floyd eventually opens the car door and apologizes, but moments later, Lane draws his gun and orders Floyd to put his hands up. Without clarifying the reason for the stop, Lane pulls Floyd out of the car.
Floyd is then handcuffed and walked across the street to a police vehicle. He expresses distress and a fear of confined spaces, resisting being placed in the car.
Floyd says he will lie on the ground, leading to the officers pinning him down. Officer Derek Chauvin is seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck, Officer J. Alexander Kueng on his upper legs, and Officer Thomas Lane on his legs, while Officer Tou Thao monitors the scene and keeps bystanders at a distance.
This footage highlighted the severity of the restraint used and was central to the public’s understanding of the incident.
During the encounter, George Floyd repeatedly told the officers that he could not breathe as Officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for nine and a half minutes.
Six minutes into the restraint, Officer J. Alexander Kueng checked Floyd’s pulse and noted that he could not feel it, yet the officers continued to restrain Floyd in a manner that hindered his breathing.
Two minutes later, emergency responders arrived and transported Floyd to a hospital.
Despite their efforts, Floyd was pronounced dead that night. The prolonged and restrictive nature of the restraint, combined with Floyd’s repeated pleas, became a central focus of the case and the ensuing public outcry.
Following the release of the video of George Floyd’s arrest, Minneapolis saw several nights of intense demonstrations. In response, law enforcement deployed tear gas and rubber bullets, while some protests escalated into violence, leading to property damage, arson, and looting.
The situation was widely covered by television and social media, showing businesses being set on fire and looted.
State officials, including Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, cited significant errors and misjudgments in the response.
Among these was the Minneapolis Police Department’s decision to abandon a precinct, which protesters then overtook and burned.
This contributed to what Governor Walz described as “absolute chaos,” exacerbating the already volatile situation and prompting further scrutiny of both police and governmental handling of the unrest.
The protests following George Floyd’s death caused extensive damage over a five-mile stretch in Minneapolis, marking one of the most destructive periods of civil unrest in the U.S. since the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
The unrest wasn’t confined to Minneapolis; it spread nationwide, affecting cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and Louisville, Kentucky.
The widespread protests highlighted the deep-seated issues of police brutality and systemic racism across the country.
