PRESIDENT Donald Trump has called on the federal government to investigate the death of George Floyd.
Trump revealed on Wednesday that the FBI and Department of Justice are “well into” a probe into Floyd’s death, which was made at his request.
“At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd,” said Trump.
The president also said he’s asked for the probe to be expedited before sending his condolences to Floyd’s family and friends.
He ended with a pointed message: “Justice will be served.”
“I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement,” Trump said.
“My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!”
Earlier in the day, Trump called Floyd’s death a “very, very sad” situation during a visit to Florida for the launch of the Space X rocket ship, according to Fox News
Trump’s comments came after Joe Biden also urged the DOJ’s Civil Rights division to investigate the death of Floyd.
The presumptive Democratic nominee pointedly said that the 46-year-old’s death was “part of an ingrained, systemic cycle of injustice that still exists in this country” and “cuts at the very heart of our sacred belief that all Americans are equal in rights”, Fox News reported.
It also “sends a very clear message to the black community and black lives that are under threat every single day,” Biden said.
Disturbing footage showed a cop, who has since been identified as Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he was being arrested Monday night.
He pleaded with cops and repeatedly said ‘I can’t breathe!’ as his face was pressed into the pavement.
Floyd was later taken to a local hospital, where he died.
Hours after his death, the Minneapolis police chief announced the four officers involved were fired.
Protests and riots have broken out in wake of Floyd’s death.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey praised the department’s decision, but has questioned why Chauvin still walks free.
Frey called for Chauvin to be charged in Floyd’s death on Wednesday.
“I’ve wrestled with, more than anything else over the last 36 hours, one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?” he said.
“I saw no threat. I saw nothing that would signal this kind of force was necessary.”
Police and protesters clashed in Minnesota on Tuesday night, with local news outlets reporting hundreds of people marched in Minneapolis.
Floyd’s family has echoed Frey’s calls for justice and said on Tuesday they believe their relative was “clearly murdered”.
Tera Brown, who revealed she saw the horrific footage before realizing it was her cousin, said police need to “pay for what they did.”
“We want to see them charged with murder and we want them to be convicted,” said Brown.
“They need to pay for what they did.”
