The Minnesota police officer charged with killing George Floyd allegedly used excessive tactics while working security at a local nightclub.
Maya Santamaria, the former owner of El Nuevo Rodeo, told the Associated Press that Derek Chauvin, 44, would mace everyone during a fight instead of breaking up the people who were fighting. She also claimed that Chauvin would call five to six police units for backup.
Santamaria said Chauvin would engage in unjustified “overkill” when her club would host nights that attracted large black crowds. Chauvin, a former Minnesota police officer, reportedly worked for the nightclub for most of the 17 years Santamaria owned it.
Chauvin and Floyd reportedly worked overlapping security shifts at the club for a majority of 2019. Despite this, Santamaria couldn’t say with certainty whether the men knew one another.
The former Minneapolis police officer is facing third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges for killing Floyd last Monday by forcing his knee into his neck for eight minutes. Chauvin and three other officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao, were filmed arresting Floyd for allegedly using counterfeit money at Cup Foods.
In videos posted to social media, Floyd is heard repeatedly saying he can’t breathe before losing consciousness.
Officials ultimately fired Chauvin, Lane, Kueng, and Thao in connection with last Monday’s arrest. However, Chauvin’s currently the only officer who’s criminally charged with Floyd’s death.
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[Featured image: Derek Chauvin/Hennepin County jail]
