DADDY CHANGED THE WORLD, I MISS HIM...
Daughter’s heartache over police ‘knee’ killing of George Floyd
GEORGE Floyd’s daughter said her “Daddy changed the world” after his fatal arrest by white police.
Gianna Floyd, six, has yet to hear the details of how her father died but on a TV appearance with mother Roxie Washington she said: “I miss him... he played with me.”
Ms Washington said: “I told her that her dad died because he couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t believe somebody was doing him like that and I wish somebody would have been there to help him.”
Mr Floyd’s family travelled from their home in Texas to join protests in Minneapolis, the city where he died, as last night it emerged Minnesota’s attorney general is to upgrade the charge against the officer Derek Chauvin to second degree murder – defined as intentional murder without premeditation. The other three officers at the scene will be charged with aiding second degree murder
As Ms Washington held Gianna, she made an emotional plea for justice and sobbed as she said: “I want everybody to know that this is what those officers took. At the end of the day, they get to go home and be with their families.
“Gianna does not have a father. He will never see her grow up or graduate. He will never walk her down the aisle.
“If there’s a problem she’s having and she needs her dad, she does not have that anymore. I’m here for my baby and I’m here for George. Because I want justice for him.
“I want justice for him because he was good. No matter what anybody thinks, he was good. And this is the proof he was a good man,” she said, gesturing to Gianna.
Later, a video showed Gianna saying: “Daddy changed the world” as she sat on the shoulders of her father’s friend ex-basketball star Stephen Jackson. Mr Floyd, 46, moved from the family home in search of better job opportunities in Minnesota but remained active in his daughter’s life and would send cash to Ms Washington monthly.
He died on May 25 after being pinned down by officer Chauvin, who placed a knee on his neck for almost nine minutes. The other officers at the death scene have been sacked from their jobs. One of the main complaints of protesters was they had failed to do anything to stop the death. All four were fired after the footage sparked outrage. During the shocking arrest, made over claims the father-of-three had used a false $20 bill, Mr Floyd can be heard begging for his life and repeatedly saying: “I can’t breathe.”
Mr Floyd, who had two adult children – Quincy Mason Floyd, 27, and Connie Mason, 26 – from a previous relationship, is set to be buried next week in Texas. On Tuesday night trouble flared across the US for an eighth night in a row.
In one of the worst incidents, a 77-year-old retired police captain was shot and killed by looters at a pawn shop in St Louis, Missouri.
David Dorn, who served for 38 years, was found dead on the pavement outside the ransacked store.
In New York, thousands ignored mayor Bill de Blasio’s 8pm curfew to continue their demonstrations.
Police arrested more than 200 as night fell and some of the rampant destruction of previous days was quelled. However, Donald Trump threatened to send troops and tanks into Manhattan to deal with the “domestic terrorists”.