The FBI will investigate the death of a black man in the US state of Minnesota after a video emerged showing a policeman kneeling on his neck.

In the footage, the man, believed to be in his 40s, is heard groaning and repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" to the white officer.

The Minneapolis Police Department said it was responding to a reported crime.

The incident echoed that of Eric Garner, a black man who died being arrested in 2014.

Garner was placed in a chokehold and uttering the words "I can't breathe" nearly a dozen times.

The phrase became a rallying cry for activists protesting alleged police brutality against people of colour in the US.

The Minnesota Police admitted that the man in the footage filmed on Monday died after a "medical incident" in a "police interaction".

He was suspected of committing a forgery, meaning to have been fraudulently altering or making a false reproduction of a product.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the incident as "completely and utterly messed up".

"I believe what I saw and what I saw is wrong on every level," Mr Frey said. "Being black in America should not be a death sentence."

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It is the latest accusation of US police brutality against African Americans. Recent high-profile cases include an officer in Maryland who fatally shot a man inside a patrol car .

The incident in Minneapolis on Monday evening began after officers located the man in his car, police said in a statement . They were told the man, who has not been identified, was "sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence".

After being ordered to step away from the vehicle, the man physically resisted officers, according to police. "Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress," the statement added.

In the 10-minute video filmed by a witness, the man is kept on the ground by the officer and, at one point, says: "Don't kill me".

Witnesses urged the officer to take his knee off the man's neck, noting that he was not moving. One says, "His nose is bleeding", while another pleads, "Get off his neck."

The man then appears motionless before he is put on a stretcher and into an ambulance.


Police said no weapons were used during the incident and that body camera footage had been handed to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating the case. Two of the officers involved have been put on paid administrative leave.

After the video emerged, police said in a statement: "As additional information has been made available, it has been determined that the Federal Bureau of Investigations will be a part of this investigation."

Speaking to US media on Tuesday, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said the force's policies "regarding placing someone under control" will be reviewed as part of the probe.

The FBI did not respond to a request for comment.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar - reportedly shortlisted as Joe Biden's running mate - issued a statement calling for a "complete and thorough outside investigation."

"Justice must be served for this man and his family, justice must be served for our community, justice must be served for our country," she said.

"I can't breathe" became a national rallying cry against police brutality in the US after the July 2014 death of Eric Garner.

Garner, an unarmed black man, uttered the phrase 11 times after being detained by police on suspicion of illegally selling loose cigarettes. They were the final words of the 43-year-old, who died after a police officer placed him in a chokehold.

A city medical examiner ruled the chokehold contributed to Garner's death. The New York City police officer involved in Garner's deadly arrest was fired from the police force more than five years later, in August 2019.

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-52806572

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Ra581uexw



Reactions

it happened recently

iHart:
This happened many years ago

iHart:
This happened many years ago

Shit, this is soooo sad..


BTW, it happened yesterday. The news came out today.
Check twitter and news stations

This is not fair, they will cover it up and promote the police man instead

Nawa o

Look how he is was killing the guy and looking away nonchalantly. Why would a black vote for Trump because since his emergence there have been increased gruesome murder of the blacks

He was still merciless even as the dying black man urinated on himself while being choked to death, what manner of wickedness is this?

.he who sow seed must reap it back.

iHart:
Go back and read the news. The police men involved were just sacked about 5 year after the incident happened. It happened in 2014

This happened yesterday.
Check well sir

Update!!
The officers have been fired.

iHart:
You cannot read what you copied and pasted, are you that daft? This thing happened in 2014 and the officers were just fired.

...or you want us to be arguing about it so it will generate traffic and lala will push it to front page? Don't mention me again

U're too daft..
The case that happened 2014 was another one .
Use ur head. Mind your words please.


"The incident echoed that of Eric Garner, a black man who died being arrested in 2014"
Do you lack comprehension skills
BTW, this man's name is George Floyd.

so sad

Tolani0167:
Look how he is was killing the guy and looking away nonchalantly. Why would a black vote for Trump because since his emergence there have been increased gruesome murder of the blacks

bullshit, have you had of black lives during obama? Was it because of trump? The black on black killings in chicago and baltimore is trumps fault too? Joe biden wrote the crime bill that instutionalized racism, is trumps fault too? fo*l. Trump has done more for blacks than the sellout blacks. you are ill informed.

iHart:
Go back and read the news. The police men involved were just sacked about 5 year after the incident happened. It happened in 2014

It happened yesterday, to a man believed to be in his 40s in the state of Minnesota.
Now they made a reference to a similar incident that happened in New York to a man named Eric Garner who was 43.
Oga who wrote your o'level English language exam for you

iHart:
This happened many years ago

Even if it happened many years ago, still #BlackLivesMatters