Mourners gather to pay their respects to George Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina where Floyd was born, as more demonstrations are expected across the country.
George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African-American man who was killed by police during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Protests in response to both Floyd's death, and more broadly to police violence against other black people, quickly spread across the United States and internationally.
Floyd grew up in Houston, Texas. He excelled in football and played other sports throughout high school and college. At 6 ft 4 in his friends and family called him Perry, and characterized him as a "gentle giant". A blue-collar worker, Floyd was also an early contributor to the development of Houston's hip-hop scene. He was also a mentor and active in his religious community. Later he faced several arrests for theft and drug possession, in 2009 he made a plea deal for an armed robbery serving four years in prison.
In 2014, he moved to the Minneapolis, Minnesota area to find work both as a truck driver, and a bouncer. In 2020, he lost his security job because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He died after being arrested for allegedly using counterfeit money to buy cigarettes; during the arrest, Derek Chauvin, a police officer knelt on his neck and back for eight minutes and 46 seconds leading to his death. Events of his arrest, death, and the actions of the officers have led to international Black Lives Matter protests, calls for police reform, and legislation to address perceived racial inequalities.
Floyd in 2016
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| Born |
George Perry Floyd Jr.
October 14, 1973[1] |
|---|---|
| Died | (aged 46)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
|
| Education | South Florida Community College Texas A&M University–Kingsville |
| Occupation | Truck driver, security guard |
| Home town | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Children | 5 |
Dr. Ruth Simmons, President, Prairie View A&M University
"The stark brutality of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis has further deepened the crisis in the country and reawakened a sense of fear and outrage across the world and especially among African Americans who recognize the crime as part and parcel of the reality that they endure every day. "
(Full statement: http://file:///C:/Users/ejbrumfield/Downloads/Campus%20Announcement%20-%20Message%20to%20the%20Community%20%206.1.2020%20(1).pdf
Dr. John Sharp, Chancellor of Texas A&M University system
"We are mourning with George Floyd’s family, not only because he was one of our own, as a former student of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, but also because his death is truly a national tragedy.
It is important we all re-double our efforts to treat everyone, regardless of color, with respect and inclusion in every facet of American life, including our university system.
We at The Texas A&M University System are committed to this premise: We are all God’s children and deserving of the same respect and protections that should be afforded every American."