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| George Floyd killing: justice department says inquiry is a 'top priority' | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| FBI prosecutors and investigators assigned as part of ‘robust’ inquiry while protests followed George Floyd’s killing by police on Monday | |
| The US Department of Justice said on Thursday it had made its investigation into police involvement in the death of George Floyd a “top priority” after a second day of protests in Minneapolis over the man’s death. | |
| Prosecutors and investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had been assigned as part of a “robust” inquiry into whether the police officers involved had violated federal laws, the department said in a statement. | |
| On Wednesday night a man was shot dead amid further protests over the death of Floyd, who was black and whose neck was knelt on by a white police officer for many minutes on Monday during his arrest, with demonstrators rocking parts of Minneapolis for a second night. | |
| Police said they were investigating Wednesday night’s shooting death as a homicide and had a suspect in custody, but were still investigating what led to the incident. | Police said they were investigating Wednesday night’s shooting death as a homicide and had a suspect in custody, but were still investigating what led to the incident. |
| Philonese Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, 46, who was killed by police on Monday, appealed for peace on Thursday, adding through sobs: “Everybody has a lot of pain right now, that’s why this is happening. I’m tired of seeing black people dying.” | Philonese Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, 46, who was killed by police on Monday, appealed for peace on Thursday, adding through sobs: “Everybody has a lot of pain right now, that’s why this is happening. I’m tired of seeing black people dying.” |
| There was looting on Wednesday evening, even while most protests were focused on decrying the death of Floyd. Some large fires were alight on the streets that continued to burn on Thursday morning. | There was looting on Wednesday evening, even while most protests were focused on decrying the death of Floyd. Some large fires were alight on the streets that continued to burn on Thursday morning. |
| As they did on Tuesday night, police fired rubber bullets and teargas to try to disperse crowds. | As they did on Tuesday night, police fired rubber bullets and teargas to try to disperse crowds. |
| Protesters began gathering in the early afternoon near Minneapolis’s 3rd police precinct station, in the southern part of the city where George Floyd died on the Memorial Day holiday after an officer knelt on his neck, even as the man said he could not breath and then became unresponsive, and members of the public begged the officer to stop. | Protesters began gathering in the early afternoon near Minneapolis’s 3rd police precinct station, in the southern part of the city where George Floyd died on the Memorial Day holiday after an officer knelt on his neck, even as the man said he could not breath and then became unresponsive, and members of the public begged the officer to stop. |
| On Wednesday night, helicopter footage showed protesters milling in streets, with some running in and out of nearby stores. Officers could be seen surrounding the nearby precinct, not attempting to intervene in the looting. | On Wednesday night, helicopter footage showed protesters milling in streets, with some running in and out of nearby stores. Officers could be seen surrounding the nearby precinct, not attempting to intervene in the looting. |
| Smoke hung over parts of the city early Thursday and fire crews worked to put out flames. | Smoke hung over parts of the city early Thursday and fire crews worked to put out flames. |
| Police spokesman John Elder said officers responding to a reported stabbing near the protests found a man lying on the sidewalk with what turned out to be a bullet wound. | Police spokesman John Elder said officers responding to a reported stabbing near the protests found a man lying on the sidewalk with what turned out to be a bullet wound. |
| The man was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Elder said a suspect was in custody but said the facts leading up to the shooting were “still being sorted out”. | The man was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Elder said a suspect was in custody but said the facts leading up to the shooting were “still being sorted out”. |
| The violence flared after dark as the demonstrations continued to rage against the death of Floyd, who police were seeking to arrest outside a Minneapolis grocery store on a report of a counterfeit bill being passed. | The violence flared after dark as the demonstrations continued to rage against the death of Floyd, who police were seeking to arrest outside a Minneapolis grocery store on a report of a counterfeit bill being passed. |
| A bystander’s cellphone video showed an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes. | A bystander’s cellphone video showed an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes. |
| Mayor Jacob Frey tweeted for calm early Thursday. “Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy,” he said on Twitter. He also asked for the public’s help in keeping the peace. | Mayor Jacob Frey tweeted for calm early Thursday. “Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy,” he said on Twitter. He also asked for the public’s help in keeping the peace. |
| The officer and three others were fired Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Frey called for him to be criminally charged. | The officer and three others were fired Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Frey called for him to be criminally charged. |
| Protesters also gathered Wednesday evening at the officer’s suburban home as well as the Minneapolis home of Mike Freeman, the Hennepin county prosecutor who would make a charging decision in the case. No violence was reported in those protests. | Protesters also gathered Wednesday evening at the officer’s suburban home as well as the Minneapolis home of Mike Freeman, the Hennepin county prosecutor who would make a charging decision in the case. No violence was reported in those protests. |
| As the protests stretched into the evening, police chief Medaria Arradondo urged calm. In an interview with KMSP-TV, he noted the internal investigation as well as the FBI’s investigation of Floyd’s death and said they offer a chance at justice. | As the protests stretched into the evening, police chief Medaria Arradondo urged calm. In an interview with KMSP-TV, he noted the internal investigation as well as the FBI’s investigation of Floyd’s death and said they offer a chance at justice. |
| “Justice historically has never come to fruition through some of the acts we’re seeing tonight, whether it’s the looting, the damage to property or other things,” he said. | “Justice historically has never come to fruition through some of the acts we’re seeing tonight, whether it’s the looting, the damage to property or other things,” he said. |
| In California, hundreds of people protesting Floyd’s death marched from downtown Los Angeles, where demonstrations began calmly, but later ended with some blocking a freeway and damaging some California Highway Patrol vehicles. | In California, hundreds of people protesting Floyd’s death marched from downtown Los Angeles, where demonstrations began calmly, but later ended with some blocking a freeway and damaging some California Highway Patrol vehicles. |