Minneapolis dispatcher voiced concerns over use of force against George Floyd
The Minneapolis Police Department on Monday released an audio recording of a dispatcher who watched via surveillance cameras the arrest of George Floyd and shared their concerns with a supervisor.
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, placed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. The dispatcher's call was made at 8:30 p.m. on May 25, about the time Floyd was in an ambulance on his way to a hospital. The dispatcher told their supervisor, "I don't know, you can call me a snitch if you want to, but we have the cameras up for 320's call and ... I don't know if they had to use force or not, but they got something out of the back of the squad, and all of them sat on this man, so I don't know if they needed you or not, but they haven't said anything to me yet."
The Minneapolis Police Department also released the transcripts of two 911 calls made in the wake of Floyd's death. One call was made by an unidentified bystander, who said a police officer "pretty much just killed this guy that wasn't resisting arrest." The other caller was an off-duty firefighter, who said he "literally watched police officers not take a pulse and not do anything to save a man, and I am a first responder myself, and I literally have it on video camera ... I just happened to be on a walk ... they [expletive] killed him." The transcript noted the 911 dispatcher attempted to transfer him to a supervisor, but the call was disconnected.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'This growing lack of social exposure is terrible for us and terrible for democracy'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What would a constitutional convention look like?
In the Spotlight There's no precedent, raising fears of a 'runaway convention'
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
All the comedians to see on tour this winter
The week recommends The warmth of laughter will get you through the cold months
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Police ID driver of exploded Cybertruck, can't see motive
Speed Read An Army Green Beret detonated a homemade bomb in a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Teenage girl kills 2 in Wisconsin school shooting
Speed Read 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow fatally shot a teacher and student at Abundant Life Christian School
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Penny acquitted in NYC subway choking death
Speed Read Daniel Penny was found not guilty of homicide in the 2023 choking death of Jordan Neely
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Suspect in CEO shooting caught, charged with murder
Speed Read Police believe 26-year-old Luigi Mangione killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in 'brazen, targeted' hit
Speed Read Police are conducting a massive search for Brian Thompson's shooter
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
DOJ demands changes at 'abhorrent' Atlanta jail
Speed Read Georgia's Fulton County Jail subjects inmates to 'unconstitutional' conditions, the 16-month investigation found
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
China tries to bury deadly car attack
Speed Read An SUV drove into a crowd of people in Zhuhai, killing and injuring dozens — but news of the attack has been censored
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Menendez brothers may go free in LA prosecutor plan
Speed Read Prosecutors are asking for the brothers to be resentenced for the 1989 murder of their parents
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published