Police And Protesters Clash Over Death Of George Floyd
BERMAN: Breaking overnight, protesters clashing with police in Minneapolis, calling for justice after the death of George Floyd. Video shows the black man being held down by a police officer with a knee to his neck for several minutes as he repeatedly told officers that he could not breathe. CNN's Omar Jimenez live in Minneapolis with the breaking details. Omar, I know it has been a long night there but people want answers.</s>OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They do, John, and specifically the family of George Floyd says it's going to take more than just the firings of these officers, which we even saw happen within 24 hours of Floyd's death. And it's a mentally that played out in the protesters throughout Minneapolis that descended here and in one other location last night demanding more accountability and answers.</s>JIMENEZ: Protests intensifying overnight in Minneapolis. Four police officers were fired after their involvement in the death of George Floyd. Police lined the streets throwing tear gas and non-lethal projectiles to disperse crowds after thousands flooded the streets, Tuesday. Anger boiling over in the community when a cell phone video was shot Monday night showing a police officer with his knee to Floyd's neck while he's on ground handcuffed. For several long minutes, George Floyd told the officer he couldn't breathe, as bystanders pleaded with officers that Floyd was struggling. And protesters echoed Floyd's words in the pouring rain last night.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody, the world needs to be watching this. The world, please watch this.</s>JIMENEZ: The officers say they were responding to an alleged forgery in progress and were initially told the suspect was sitting on a car seemingly under the influence. Police said Floyd physically resisted and they placed him under arrest.</s>GEORGE FLOYD: My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts.</s>JIMENEZ: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey supporting the decision to fire the officers.</s>MAYOR JACOB FREY (D-MINNEAPOLIS, MN): For five minutes, when you hear someone calling for help, you are supposed to help. This officer failed in the most basic human sense.</s>JIMENEZ: CNN has obtained new surveillance video from a nearby restaurant that shows two police officers crossing the street and approaching the car at 8:33 P.M. Monday night. The officers are talking to the passengers in the car for a few minutes before two passengers emerged from the car. George is then taken from the car by one the officers and was handcuffed. Floyd is sitting against the exterior of a building on the sidewalk while another police car arrives. Eventually, two cops pulled George up from the ground and walk back across the street. Floyd's family saying they want the officers charged with murder.</s>PHILONESE FLOYD, GEORGE FLOYD'S BROTHER: He screamed, mama, mama, I can't breathe, I can't breathe. They treated him worse than they treat animals. And I</s>JIMENEZ: Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar calling on an outside investigation to be conducted to explore possible criminal charges against the officers.</s>SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): This was not a sudden mistake or a procedure gone bad. This was over a period of time. You got to look at all the evidence. But, to me, this evidence is just crying out for some kind of a charge.</s>JIMENEZ: And on Senator Klobuchar's last point there, that's what we're waiting on at this point. We saw these officers fired. That was the police disciplinary action within the department. But we're also watching investigations play out at the federal, state and local levels again to determine if any criminal charges will be filed. And among what they're looking at, we've seen that cell phone video, we've seen some surveillance video, but as we understand, these officers' body cameras were also rolling as well, something that will no doubt play into this investigation. John?</s>CAMEROTA: I'll take it, Omar. And we are going to be speaking to George Floyd's sister coming up as well. Thank you very much for that report. Now, to an update on a story that we first told you about yesterday, a white woman who called the police on a black man in Central Park has been fired by her employer. The man, Christian Cooper, recorded part of their conflict, which started when he said he asked her to follow park rules and put her dog on a leash. After the video went viral, the woman, Amy Cooper, publicly apologized for the incident but denies being racist. Last night, Christian Cooper, the man, spoke to CNN's Don Lemon.</s>CHRISTIAN COOPER, BIRDWATCHER RECORDED WOMAN CALLING THE COPS ON HIM: I'm not sure if an apology she recognizes that, while she may not be or consider herself a racist, that particular act was definitely racist. She was looking for some way to get an edge in the situation. And that's where she went. And that ultimately did not help her. So, you know, is she a racist? I can't answer that. Only she can answer that.</s>CAMEROTA: Well, Amy Cooper's employer thinks she is. They said they fired her because, quote, they do not tolerate racism of any kind. Meanwhile, President Trump has threatened to relocate the Republican convention over a fight with North Carolina's Democratic governor. What does that state's Republican lieutenant governor have to say about all this? We ask him, next.