Protesters remain at Orlando-area home owned by officer connected to George Floyd's death
Protests explode in US after cop charged with killing Floyd
The Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into George Floyd's neck as he begged for air was arrested Friday and charged with murder, as authorities imposed overnight curfews to try to stem violent protests over police killings of African Americans that have spread from Minneapolis to cities across the country.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Late Friday night, a small group of protesters remained in front of the Orlando-area home owned by Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd before his death.
Floyd's death has caused national outrage and sparked protests across the country.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office stated earlier that Chauvin was not currently at the home located in Windermere. Deputies maintained a presence at the residence into the evening and no violence was reported.
Earlier in the day, it was announced that Chauvin, 44, had been arrested, charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He also was accused of ignoring another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd as he lay handcuffed on the ground, pleading that he could not breathe while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.
Floyd, who was black, had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a store. Chauvin, who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene, faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder
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“For the safety of our community, we have verified that the Minneapolis Police Department officer with a home in Windermere in unincorporated Orange County is not at that home, and has no plans to be in the area,” the sheriff's office posted on Twitter.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, protesters began gathering on Thursday night.
“Last night was a mess,” one neighbor told the Sentinel.
That neighbor said about an hour after walking his dog around 10:30 p.m., "all hell broke loose." He estimated about 50 people showed up to the neighborhood, honking horns and yelling until around 3:30 a.m.
In a widely circulated cellphone video of the subsequent arrest, Floyd, who was black, can be seen on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back while Officer Derek Chauvin presses him to the pavement with his knee on Floyd's neck. The video shows Chauvin, who is white, holding Floyd down for minutes as Floyd complains he can't breathe. The video ends with paramedics lifting a limp Floyd onto a stretcher and placing him in an ambulance.
Four officers were fired Tuesday; on Wednesday, Mayor Jacob Frey called for Chauvin to be criminally charged. Frey made no mention of the other three officers, who were also at the scene.
Police say Floyd was resisting arrest, but Chauvin's lawyer has declined to comment and the other officers have not been publicly identified.
Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon and Orange County Sheriff John Mina weighed in on Floyd's death.
Both Rolon and Mina have denounced the actions of the officers involved. Mina called the actions taken by police officers indefensible and wants to see criminal charges brought against them.
RELATED: FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office making George Floyd death investigation a 'top priority'
“I just think it was awful," he said. "It really goes against everything that we’re taught in law enforcement, our basic principles.”
“This is disturbing," said Rolon. "This should have never happened. This is not the way we train our officers, this is not what we expect from the persons who wear the badge.”
The sheriff agreed that this should never have happened.
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“There is no justification. That is not an approved technique to put your knee on someone’s neck,” said Mina, placing blame on the other officers as well. “We’re trained to deescalate, we’re trained to intercede when we see excessive force, we’re trained to stop that,” said Mina.