The investigation into the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department, is a "top priority," the US Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th May, 2020) The investigation into the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department, is a "top priority," the US Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday.
A video that went viral on Tuesday showed a non-resisting and handcuffed Floyd lying on his stomach and pinned to the ground by a white police officer with a knee on his neck. Floyd repeatedly said he cannot breathe and after several minutes he became unresponsive.
"The Department of Justice has made the investigation a top priority and has assigned experienced prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to the matter," the statement said.
The investigation should show whether the actions of the four arresting police officers violated Federal law by willfully depriving another person of any right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, the statement added.
Federal authorities have asked potential witnesses to provide information that may help the investigation of the incident, the statement added.
Floyd's death prompted protests in Minneapolis as well as in Los Angeles, California, against police brutality.
