patients. All that more
starting at the top the hour on
Channel 2 news at 5 Keith
Christine, all right Lauren
thank you we’ll see you then
right now we’re following
breaking news from Minneapolis.
>> This is involving the death
of Houston native George Floyd
the FBI is holding a press
conference.
>> Let’s listen in we thought
we would have another
development that I can tell you
about unfortunately we don’t at
this point, but I am here to
talk to you about the federal
investigation. The county
attorney Mister Freeman standing to my right is here to
standing to my right is here to
talk to you about the state
investigation. With me is
Reinert roles haggen he is the
special agent charge of
Minneapolis. FBI. He too will
talk about the federal
investigation. And superintendent drew Evans from
superintendent drew Evans from
bca we’ll also make a few
comments before we open it up
for question and answer.
My name is Erica macdonald on
the United States attorney here
for the District of Minnesota.
On May 25th the 2020. George Floyd was arrested. And detains
Floyd was arrested. And detains
but Minneapolis police
officers. I’m here to talk
about. And make sure the
community and the media is
aware. That we are conducting I robust. And meticulous
robust. And meticulous
investigation. Into the
circumstances. Surrounding the
events May 25th 2020. And the
police officers actions on that
evening. It really probably
don’t need this to say this all
of you bad Minneapolis. Our nation really the world.
nation really the world.
Has witnessed this incredibly. And disturbing. Loss of life.
And disturbing. Loss of life.
My heart goes out. To George
Floyd. My heart. It goes out to
his family. My heart it goes out to his friends. In my
out to his friends. In my
heart, it goes out to the community. We are grieving and
community. We are grieving and
we will to continue to grieve.
To be clear. The Department of
Justice has made the
investigation in this case, a
top priority. We have assigned. Highest of the high in my
Highest of the high in my
office to investigate. And look
at the case. FBI likewise has
assigned. They’re experienced
law enforcement officers to
conduct the investigation. And to be clear. President
And to be clear. President
Trump. As well as attorney John
young. Attorney general William
Barr. I directly and actively
monitoring. The investigation
in this case. I have had direct
communications with attorney
general Barr and his staff and
we’ll continue to do so.
The federal investigation in
this case what determined
whether the actions the former Minneapolis police officers
Minneapolis police officers
took the violated any federal
criminal laws. To include any
civil rights violations.
Civil rights criminal cases had
categories and one is called
under color of law in other
words if an officer Weatherby
federal state local tribal is
acting acting under their authority. In a search or
authority. In a search or
invokes the power bestowed upon
them. To deprive any person.
Any right or privilege
protected by the Constitution
or the laws the United States
that is a violation a federal
criminal law. It must be proven. That the subject took
proven. That the subject took
action or. It did not take
action. When he or she. I knew
that was wrong. And chose to do
it anyway. As with all matters.
The investigation in this case
will be comprehensive and will
be conducted with the highest
integrity. As the community
would expect. For those that
aren’t aware of my background
prior to being the United States attorney for the
States attorney for the
district to Minnesota. I was a
judge in Dakota County for over
8 plus years. Having sat on that side of the bench. And
that side of the bench. And
having presided over a
multitude of trials. I can tell
you I can tell the community.
I can tell everybody interested
that it is critical it is in
sensual it is imperative that
the investigation is done right and then right the first time
and then right the first time
and that is what we’re going to
do. This has been a rapidly.
Evolving situation. We first
learned of it in the early
morning hours of Tuesday.
The FBI reached out directly to
me. And we have been working on
this case nonstop. Since we
were notified. We understand
the severity of the situation
unfolding. It breaks my heart
to see what is going on in our
streets in Minneapolis in Saint
Paul in some of our suburbs.
And I’m pleading I am pleading with individuals. To remain
with individuals. To remain
calm. In to let us conduct this
investigation. It just a minute
before I blow over.
We share with the FBI. And we
share with our state partners
who are conducting parallel but
independent investigation.
So that is clear we had to.
The difference. Investigations
and conclusions and
recommendations that will come
from those to each of our
respective offices. But we
share an unwavering commitment to see that this investigation
to see that this investigation
is done right. That it sent
forth with. That we act with dispatch. And that we live up
dispatch. And that we live up
to the standards the community
demands. Our highest priority
is that justice will be served.
With that I’m going to close my
comments and turn it over to
special agent charge runner
drills haggen from the FBI.
Thank you Erica. That
afternoon.
>> My name is Reiner goals
hoggan I’m the special agent in
charge of the Minneapolis field office. Queen us attorneys.
Comments I’d like to say I
express my complete condolences to the Floyd family. I’d also
to the Floyd family. I’d also
like to express my sympathy to the citizens of Minnesota.
the citizens of Minnesota.
There’s extreme frustration.
In sadness. I also want to
think chief or or not I want on
donda the Minneapolis police
Department. He reached out to
me in the middle of the night.
They requested our assistance. His call enabled me to
His call enabled me to
immediately reached out to the
U.S. attorney’s office to lift
their assistance. And as such.
We were able to open an
investigation in a matter of a
few hours after the incident.
All rolled. In this investigation is to investigate
investigation is to investigate
allegations of willful
violations. A federal civil
rights. The FBI team is following the path where the
following the path where the
facts will lead us. We are
conducting a swift yet
meticulous investigation. In less than 72 hours much work
In less than 72 hours much work
has been done. But I assure you
there’s much more to be
accomplished. I want to ensure
are that you understand we
respond the cases like these as
quickly that’s possible.
We will both case to conclusion
in partnership with our state
partners. The Bureau of
criminal apprehension. The
fbi’s the fact-gathering
agency. We could we could facts
and we need your help. We’re
asking everyone that was
president. But for. And after the incident to come forward to
the incident to come forward to
help us build the best picture
of what occurred. Each little piece of the puzzle helps us
piece of the puzzle helps us
complete the big picture.
>> If you have any information
or if you have any videos or you know of anyone who can help
you know of anyone who can help
us with this. I encourage you
to ask them to contact 1, 800
call FBI. They again I encourage you to reach out 2,
encourage you to reach out 2,
1, 800 call FBI. No tip is too
small.
>> Good afternoon. I’m Mike
Freeman head of the county
attorney. >> We are the principal
>> We are the principal
prosecuting agency for this
state in the criminal side.
Initially I want to say that my
thoughts and those of my office
continue to be with the family
and the Friends of George
Floyd. They know they’re
hurting over this senseless
death. The manager of our
victim services division that’s
been in touch with George
Floyd’s family on several
occasions. It is keeping them
updated on what is happening in
this case. There where that the
Minnesota Bureau of criminal
apprehension, better known as
the bca the head of the county
medical examiner, the head of
the county Attorney’s Office.
We’re moving as quickly and
thoroughly as possible. I’ve
also been in direct
consultations would governor
Tim Walz with attorney general
Keith Ellison. And others in
the state. The city and the
county. The discussions on this
case. As many you know, the
head of the county Attorney’s
office is one of very few
prosecutions offices in the United States. Quest success
really charged and convicted.
And obtained a guilty verdict against a police officer for
against a police officer for
unreasonable use of deadly
force. We have developed a
detailed plan for that
prosecution and with the bca a detailed plan for
detailed plan for
investigation.
>> Listening in live to a news
conference there out of they’re
giving some information about
the latest on the investigation
too. George Floyd’s death there
in the streets. During an
arrest. They’re on the streets