George Floyd: Police release bodycam footage of arrest
A Minneapolis police force has released bodycam footage showing the scene at George Floyd’s arrest amid a second night of protests over the black man’s death.
The Minneapolis Park Police (MPP) video, which was made public on Wednesday night, shows an officer monitoring a vehicle opposite to where Mr Floyd was arrested and pinned to the ground before his death on Monday.
The MPP officer wearing the bodycam also appeared to reassure two passengers from Mr Floyd’s car that an ambulance would arrive at the scene, and told them to “stay put”.
Minneapolis Park Police maintain that despite having one patrol car at the scene, the officer with the bodycam was not involved with the actions that led to Mr Floyd’s death.
Until Wednesday night, it was not certain why the park police were present whilst four Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers, who were later dismissed, pinned Mr Floyd to the ground.
“Based on a review of the body worn camera footage, which is being released to demonstrate the vantage point of the Park Police officer, the Park Police officer was not in a location to witness or intervene in the MPD incident,” the MPP said in a statement.
The park police added that the officer was around 118 feet (36 metres) from Mr Floyd as he was arrested outside Cup Foods on Chicago Avenue, on Monday.
It comes as two more videos appeared to show Mr Floyd being pulled from his car and handcuffed without resisting arrest.
An MPD statement had said Mr Floyd was “resistant” before a white police officer knelt on his neck until he could not breath.
The new park police video did not shed more light on the incident which has led to demonstrations against police brutality against black Americans.
On Wednesday night, one man was reported to have been shot dead at the scene of protests in Minneapolis.
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