Teen who filmed viral George Floyd video wasn't trying to be a hero, says 'world needed to see' what she saw
The teenager who had filmed the bystander video clip of George Floyd has said that she had never intended to be a hero and also had no idea the kind of impact the footage would make. In the viral video, a now-former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin was seen kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old Floyd while arresting him. Floyd repeatedly said he was unable to breathe but Chauvin paid no heed.
Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes in the video that sparked outrage not just in the US but across the world. 17-year-old Darnella Frazier had said that she was walking her cousin, 9, to get a snack from Cup Foods on Memorial Day when she saw four police officers pulling an African-American man from his vehicle. Frazier's attorney Seth Cobin spoke to The Star Tribune and said, "She had no idea she would witness and document one of the most important and high-profile police murders in American history. If it wasn't for her bravery, presence of mind, and steady hand, and her willingness to post the video on Facebook and share her trauma with the world, all four of those police officers would still be on the streets, possibly terrorizing other members of the community."
The four police officers -- Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J Alexander Kueng -- involved in Floyd's brutal death were fired after a video of the incident went viral on social media. Cobin also added that Frazier was not looking to be the hero but is "just a 17-year-old high school student, with a boyfriend and a job at the mall, who did the right thing. She's the Rosa Parks of her generation." Frazier herself gave a short statement to The Star Tribune and said, "The world needed to see what I was seeing. Stuff like this happens in silence too many times." Cobin also revealed how Frazier had not thought twice about taking the recording. "Because police brutality is so common in that neighborhood, and the officers rarely face consequences, she pulled out her iPhone and started recording," he said. He added that she is staying away from social media and avoiding the drama.
He said that Frazier has not received "threats or anything like that" but did say that she has been the target of "trash talking and shade" since May 25. He also verified a GoFundMe account that was started by two women who previously had no link to Frazier. "In addition to the trauma of watching a black man be murdered by police, she has had to deal with trolls, bullies, and ignorant people harassing her online," the page reads. "It took unbelievable courage for her to stand there and bear witness to such an awful tragedy." The campaign has been able to raise more than $500,000 since it went online on May 30. The nation and subsequently the world was left in shock over Floyd's death and the lack of regard for African American lives. Floyd's death has been protested by people across the globe with the 'Black Lives Matter' movement taking precedence.