![Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo left, listened as north side community members held a protest and rally at the 4th precinct on Plymouth avenue in response to the shooting death of Thurman Blevins by Minneapolis Police Sunday June 24, 2018 in Minneapolis , MN. ] JERRY HOLT • jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GettyImages-1156780791.jpg?w=804)
In an emotional exchange with George Floyd’s family on live television on Sunday, Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo said that all four officers were “complicit” and should be held responsible for Floyd’s death.
“To the Floyd family, being silent, or not intervening, to me, you’re complicit,” Arradondo said, adding that his decision to fire all four officers stemmed from his perception that there is little distinction between the officers who acted and the officers who failed to intervene. “If there were one solitary voice that would’ve intervened an act that’s what I would have hoped for.”
Everyone needs to watch this interview as my colleague @sarasidnerCNN passes along questions from George Floyd’s family directly to the Minneapolis Chief of Police in real time. Wow. #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/NXHIJ60rhO
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) June 1, 2020
The interview marked the Floyd family’s first interaction with the Minnesota police department since Floyd’s death, which has sent a shockwave of grief nationwide and sparked protests and unrest in the face of yet another instance of police brutality.
Floyd was killed when Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes with the help of three accompanying officers – two of them grabbing Floyd’s legs and back. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Arradondo appeared at Floyd’s memorial on Sunday to pay his respects when he was approached by a CNN reporter, who asked the police chief on behalf of Floyd’s family, who participated in the interview on air, if the arrest and conviction for all four officers was warranted in his view.
Removing his hat to address the family, Arradondo said he saw “no distinction” between Chauvin and the other officers involved in the alleged murder. Arradondo passionately repeated the words “you’re complicit” regarding the other three officers, who were fired from the department on Tuesday but have not been charged.
If the prosecutor doesn’t charge the other officers, the DoJ certainly should And if DoJ doesn’t, I hope the next one does.
So arrest them
‘Complicit’
It took this long to figure that out?
Note his removing his hat.
That’s what respect looks like.
My question is: What is going on the MPD? This wasn’t Chauvin’s first offense. The videos of the protest showed MPD fomenting and committing unnecessary violence. IThe head of the MPD police union gave a speech lauding Trump and allegedly wore a White Power patch. There in something in the culture of this department – and others, to be sure – that implicates everyone in it. More than three bystanders here.