Just before a jury in Minneapolis convicted police officer, Derek Chauvin of murdering a black youth, George Floyd on May 25 last year a policeman on Tuesday (April 20) shot dead a 16-year old black girl in Columbus, Ohio.
The police officer has been withdrawn from duty. Chauvin was found guilty on three counts of man-slaughter and murder.
It needs to be mentioned that a video which went viral then showed Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for nine minutes 29 seconds till he breathed his last. Floyd could be heard gasping repeatedly, “I can’t breathe”.
Commenting on the court ruling President Joe Biden said that the conviction can be “a moment of significant change”.
The incident triggered mass protest not only all over the United States, but across the world. A movement called Black Lives Matter took up the cause of Floyd’s murder.
Chauvin may be sentenced to 40 years’ prison term.
His lawyer, however, disagreed stating that the judgement was made largely on the basis of media reporting. But Floyd’s family members and activists around the world hailed the court ruling.
In yet another incident, Ma’Khia Bryant, 16, was shot by an officer outside her home after she called the police for help on Tuesday afternoon. She succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
According to reports, Bryant called the police at about 4:30 p.m. local time when she was allegedly threatened by some youths.
The Columbus Police Department have not made public the name of that officer.
It needs to be mentioned that the shooting occurred shortly before the verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Incidentally, Minneapolis suburbs had witnessed the killing of another Black man by a police officer on April 11. The victim was identified as Daunte Wright.
