Several prominent Minnesota officials on Sunday called for all four Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s death to be held accountable, as protests and police clashes continue escalating in major cities across the country.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (D) expressed their dissatisfaction over former police officer Derek Chauvin — who is seen in videos pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck as he struggled to breathe — being the only cop facing criminal charges thus far. All four cops have been fired for their involvement in Floyd’s death.
Here’s how the Minnesota officials weighed in:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Asked by NBC’s Chuck Todd on whether he wants to see federal charges brought against all four police officers involved in Floyd’s death, Ellison replied “yes I do.” But he’s unsure it will happen.
“I don’t know. I hope so,” Ellison said, before praising U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald for being “a serious prosecutor” he trusts.
Ellison later added that the three officers who haven’t been charged are “not out of the woods” and that an investigation is ongoing.
Watch Ellison’s remarks below:
Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison wants to see federal charges brought against all four police officers involved in George Floyd's death pic.twitter.com/CQuZ2IJ4HD
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) May 31, 2020
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
Pressed by ABC News’ George Stephanopolous on what more must be done to deliver justice in the Floyd case, Omar responded that people want to see charges for the three other officers “who stood by idly” as they watched Floyd’s life be taken.
Omar went on to urge the need for nationwide reforms and argued that the widespread uproar over Floyd’s death “isn’t just because of the life that was taken.”
“We need to really step back and say to ourselves, where do we actually from here?” Omar said. “And that can’t just be getting justice for George Floyd. It needs to be bigger than that.”
Watch Omar’s remarks below:
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter
Carter told CNN’s Jake Tapper about his father’s time as a St. Paul police officer, adding that “all of humanity” can look at footage of Floyd’s encounter with Minneapolis police officers and say “that’s disgusting, that’s unacceptable.”
Carter added that no charges for the three officers who held Floyd down or stood guard is “an incredible insult to humanity” and to St. Paul officers.
The St. Paul mayor later insisted that he’s asking protestors for peace, not patience.
“What we’re calling for right now is peace. We’re asking our folks to protest peacefully, to scream from the top of their lungs that this can never happen again,” Carter said. “And that not just one — but all four of those officers — must be held accountable.”
Watch Carter’s remarks below:
St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter says all four cops involved with George Floyd's death must be held accountable pic.twitter.com/dpioZru9Og
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) May 31, 2020
