'We are all disturbed': Rochester leaders react to the death of George Floyd

Rochester leaders are offering messages of support, solidarity and peace as protests and rioting 90 miles north continue to garner international attention in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.

“The death of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis has rocked our nation,” Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson wrote in a Facebook post Thursday afternoon. “I will never say I understand how the Floyd family and friends feel. We are all feeling similar emotions since first seeing the video. We are all disturbed in various degrees of shock and dismay at the incident first and now the unacceptable rioting and violent protesting.”

The sheriff described the incident as a tragedy and urged for calm as the investigation into Floyd’s death unfolds. He also asked for the community to join him in praying for the Floyd family, as well as for law enforcement officers who “continue to do their job with integrity and honor.”

“We do not know everything, yet, “said Torgerson. “I am struggling to accept from what I have seen and how this could happen to Mr. Floyd. I’m struggling to understand the mindset of the officers involved, now fired from their agencies. I cannot believe they left home Monday afternoon or evening expecting or planning to be involved in this unbelievably tragic event. We need patience to learn the full story which will take time to investigate. There is a process.”

The reaction to Floyd’s death while in the hands of police custody has led to protests, looting and chaos across parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Video captured at the scene shows an officer pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck while he struggles to breathe. Bystanders urge the officer to stop, noting Floyd’s worsening condition.

Since the killing, the four officers at the scene have been fired and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has urged for charges to be brought against the officer involved in the killing of Floyd. Officers stated that Floyd, a suspect in a minor counterfeit money case, had resisted arrest.

On Thursday, local civil rights groups called the police actions “cowardice,” pointing to similarities between the Floyd case and that of Eric Garner, the New York City resident who died in police custody while gasping for air. For both Floyd and Garner, their final words were “I can’t breathe.”

“One death is one too many, and in the United States of America, we have a systemic problem where our actions show that lives of African American do not matter,” the Rochester Branch NAACP, Rochester for Justice and Diversity Council, among others, said in a written statement. “No one is above the law including police officers. We advocate for all those directly or indirectly involved in the death of Mr. George Floyd to face justice to the fullest extent of Minnesota and federal law.”

The groups planned to hold an online vigil Saturday at 6 p.m. in remembrance of Floyd. The vigil will be streamed here.

City of Rochester response

“Sad. Mad. Angry. Furious. Horrified. Words just don’t cut it today.”

That was the reaction from Rochester Mayor Kim Norton in the hours following Floyd’s death. She called the death of Floyd, who is African-American, “horrific and completely inhumane.”

“We are grieving this unnecessary and heartbreaking loss of a human life and the inequities it lays bare,” said Norton.

Rochester Police Chief Jim Franklin called the video showing Floyd’s death “distressing,” adding, “these actions, and inaction, are not reflective of the majority of women and men who have chosen to serve and protect our communities displaying courage and integrity each and every day, nor is it consistent with the training and oath that officers take.”

“The last few days have been difficult and replete with deep emotions ranging from shock, anger, grief and reflection,” he said. “We recognize that events such as this tear at the fabric of the community. This tragedy breaks the bonds of trust between police and community, creating the worst kind of damage to our society. The heartbreaking death of George Floyd is a sobering reminder of how quickly those bonds can be lost.”

Franklin added that his department is committed to building on its efforts to address racial inequalities and to equip officers with “state-of-the-art training including de-escalation training and crisis intervention training.”

Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the date of the Rochester online protest. The event is happening Saturday, not Thursday.