The former Minneapolis police officer seen on video kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed Black man who later died was arrested Friday after the incident sparked days of unrest and protests in the city.
Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, prosecutors said.
Chauvin and three other Minneapolis police officers were fired earlier this week in connection to the death of George Floyd after a viral video showed Chauvin pinning Floyd down by his neck.
Floyd, 46, was taken into custody Monday by the officers, who were responding to a call of a forgery in progress. In the video shot by a passerby, Floyd groans and repeatedly says “I can’t breathe” to Chauvin, who held him down on the pavement with his knee.