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George Floyd reportedly died over a counterfeit $20 at a deli
Image source: YouTube screenshot

George Floyd reportedly died over a counterfeit $20 at a deli

Terrible

Authorities reportedly arrested Floyd because he attempted to pay a deli with a $20 bill that was allegedly counterfeit.

Newly released details also note that when medics arrived on the scene, Floyd had no pulse — and that the officer involved in the incident reportedly did not release his knee from Floyd's neck until medics arrived.

What's a brief background?

Floyd died on Monday after a police officer kneeled on his neck for at least eight minutes during a detainment. Video of the incident has since gone viral.

Four officers were fired in connection with the incident, and the FBI has launched a probe into Floyd's death on a possible civil rights violation.

Mass rioting and looting erupted across the city beginning on Wednesday.

What are the details?

Mahmoud Abumayyaleh, co-owner of Cup Foods deli, said that one of his employees phoned authorities after Floyd purportedly tried to hand over a fake $20 bill in order to pay for his purchases.

"My staff called the police, practicting protocol," Abumayyaleh explained, "and when the police arrived, Floyd was still outside, and that's when [police officers] approached him."

Video footage confirms this — authorities did approach Floyd while he was in his vehicle, and forcibly dragged him out. Floyd did not appear to resist even once.

Abumayyaleh said that he viewed surveillance footage from his own store, which reportedly caught the altercation between the officer and Floyd — including what appeared to be Floyd's last breaths.

Floyd was reported to have called out for his mother — who died over the last 18 months — in what appear to be his final moments before losing consciousness.

"I viewed [the footage] and what I see was devastating," Abumayyaleh admitted. "It was very heartbreaking, and our condolences go out to the family and friends of George Floyd."

According to newly released details, the officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck refused to let up until medics arrived. When medics arrived, they found no pulse, despite checking several times.

A local hospital officially pronounced Floyd dead when he arrived.

New video shows Minneapolis police arrest of George Floyd before deathwww.youtube.com

What else?

On Thursday, Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey (D) said that Floyd would still be alive following the incident if he were white.

Frey has also called for charges against the officer involved in the incident.

"I'm not a prosecutor," he said, "but let me be clear: The arresting officer killed someone."

On Wednesday, Frey said, "I've wrestled with, more than anything else over the last 36 hours, one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?"

"I saw no threat," Frey insisted. "I saw nothing that would signal that this kind of force was unnecessary."

Editor's note: The original version of this article erroneously stated that four officers were arrested in connection with the incident, when, in fact, the four officers were fired.

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Sarah Taylor

Sarah Taylor

Sarah is a former staff writer for TheBlaze, and a former managing editor and producer at TMZ. She resides in Delaware with her family. You can reach her via Twitter at @thesarahdtaylor.