Teen who recorded George Floyd killing blasted for not stopping brutal abuse, posting video to 'get paid'
The teenager who recorded the video of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police is receiving backlash online as people criticize her for not doing more than shooting the incident.
Darnella Frazier, 17, told TMZ about her experience of witnessing the incident where a cop kneeled on the African-American victim's neck after handcuffing him. Frazier, who was just passing by, stopped to record a video that went viral on social media on May 26. She said that ever since she posted the video, people online have been criticizing her for capturing the incident on her camera instead of physically getting involved and trying to help out the victim.
Some have also accused her of posting the video for "clout" or attention for a possible payday. Frazier has vehemently denied all the accusations, penning an extensive post on May 27 to clarify her stance.
"I’m doing it for clout ?? For attention?? What?? To get paid?? Now y’all just sound dumb and ignorant!! I don’t expect anyone who wasn’t placed in my position to understand why and how I feel the way that I do!! MIND YOU I am a minor! 17 years old , of course I’m not about to fight off a cop I’m SCARED wtf. I don’t give 2 fucks about what y’all would’ve did because was y’all there?? NO. Fighting would’ve got someone else killed or in the same position George (may he Rest In Peace) was in ! If it wasn’t for me 4 cops would’ve still had their jobs , causing other problems. My video went world wide for everyone to see and know !!" she wrote on Facebook.
She added : "His family was reached out to! The police most definitely would’ve swept it under the rug with a cover up story. Instead of bashing me, THANK ME! Because that could’ve been one of your loved ones and you would want to see the truth as well. Anyone with something negative to say pls block me. I’m not forcing you to watch me."
Meanwhile, Frazier's mother told the outlet that her daughter was simply making a store run at the time when the police encounter happened and never intended to witness such a horrific event. She said that she was concerned for the safety of her daughter, as the aftermath of the incident unfolds as her daughter already suffers from social anxiety. However, she was glad that her daughter was there at the scene that day because if it wasn't for her video, the world would not have known how Floyd died.
For her part, Frazier did raise her voice at the time against the injustice that was unfolding before her eyes. She and several others shouted for several minutes at the officers pleading with them about the fact that Floyd was dying.
We reported earlier that altercation had started after police responded to a "forgery in progress" at the 3700 Block of Chicago Avenue South and found Floyd, who is said to have matched the suspect's description, sitting in his car. Police said they found him to be "under the influence" at the scene and ordered him to step out, only for him to resist the responding officers. "He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers," police spokesman John Elder said in a statement. "Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress."
The video shows one of the officers wrestling with him and trying to force him out. The other officer then walks over to the driver's side of the car to assist in ejecting Floyd from the vehicle and handcuffing him. Floyd can be heard pleading with the officers throughout the struggle, though it is unclear from the video what exactly he was telling him.
One of the officers can be seen keeping his knee pressed onto Floyd's neck even as he begged to be let go because he couldn't breathe. "Please," the man can be heard pleading. "Please, please I can't breathe." The officer was unmoved and continued to kneel on Floyd's neck for several minutes even as he moaned in pain. Around four minutes into the video, Floyd loses consciousness and then becomes unresponsive. He was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center, but could not be saved and was declared dead.