Detroit Police, NAACP Call for Murder Charges Over Death of George Floyd

Police and civil rights activists in Detroit are calling for “justice” in the death of George Floyd – the Minneapolis man who died in police custody.

An officer was recorded using a knee to pin Floyd’s neck in a graphic video that ignited civil unrest in Minneapolis and across the country. 

George Floyd “was not just a number, he was a man, a son, a brother, and a friend. He was a human being.” — Wendell Anthony, Detroit NAACP 

Officials with the Detroit Police Department are condemning the officers’ actions, calling for those on the scene to be charged.

“Given what I saw in the video, the fact that this officer allegedly murdered. There was clear evidence to suggest there was probable cause to arrest this officer for murder,” Police Chief James Craig says. “We all share the disappointment for the dishonor it brings to our badge.” 

Craig says DPD issued a memo regarding the prohibition of neck restraints and the use of force as a last resort.

The Detroit NAACP joined the department in its statement calling for the arrest of the Minneapolis police officers who arrested Floyd.

“Another black man is dead,” says Detroit NAACP President Wendell Anthony. “He was not just a number, he was a man, a son, a brother, and a friend. He was a human being.”

Wendell Anthony says all officers on the scene are complicit in Floyd’s death, adding that people need to join law enforcement and run for public office in order to fix problems with the criminal justice system.

“Despite the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, the death of black Americans continues to reflect the pandemic within a pandemic,” says Wendell.

The Detroit Police Department faces its own allegations of racial discrimination. A black police officer is suing the department, claiming he was harassed and abused by several white officers.