More shocking bodycam footage, more fatal shootings by officers, and a murder trial nearing its conclusion — public trust in the US police has seldom been more strained.
“I am a Black man, and I know from experience that the police just aren’t professional and the leadership they get isn’t right,” said Darnell Squire, 46, who sells T-shirts and baseball caps from a street stall in a Minneapolis suburb. In a court in Minneapolis, former officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for murder over the killing of George Floyd, with closing arguments next week before the jury delivers its verdict.
In another case, Chicago police on Thursday released graphic footage of an officer shooting dead 13-year-old Adam Toledo in a dark alley last month, apparently suspecting he had just dropped a gun.“I will feel the same even if Chauvin is convicted — this is a long fight,” said Selena McKnight 46, a local activist in Minneapolis who regularly attends protests against police misconduct.
On Wednesday, in a town outside Minneapolis, an officer was assaulted with a hammer and dragged at high-speed by a vehicle driven by a white, 61-year-old man.