What they said: Leaders react to George Floyd death

The death of George Floyd spurred reactions from politicians and organizations across Minnesota and the country. Below is a compilation of some of those statements.

"A very sad event."

— President Donald Trump

"Watching his life be taken in the same manner, echoing nearly the same words as Eric Garner more than five years ago — 'I can't breathe' — is a tragic reminder that this was not an isolated incident, but part of an ingrained systemic cycle that exists in this country."

— Former Vice President Joe Biden

"It's very clear to anyone that what happened to George Floyd is wrong. The lack of humanity in the video made me physically ill, and even more difficult to understand. My heart aches for Mr. Floyd's family and friends."

— Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

"Being black in America should not be a death sentence. For five minutes, we watched a white officer press his knee into a black man's neck. Five minutes. When you hear someone calling for help, you're supposed to help. This officer failed in the most basic, human sense."

— Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey

"When Mayor Frey appointed me as chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, I was very steadfast and strong on what our department vision, values and culture change would be moving forward. One of those pillars is sanctity of life. We know there are inherent dangers in the profession of policing but the vast majority of the work we do never require the use of force."

— Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo

"The video of a Minneapolis police officer killing a defenseless, handcuffed man is one of the most vile and heartbreaking images I've ever seen. The officer who stood guard is just as responsible as his partner; both must be held fully accountable. This must stop now."

— St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter

"I challenged our officers to ask themselves if they would have done anything differently from what the officers did in the video. If the answer is no, I told them to reconsider their career choice."

— St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell

"My heart is breaking for the tragic loss of life last night near 38th and Chicago. Our community continues to be traumatized again, and again and again. We must demand answers."

— Minneapolis Council Member Andrea Jenkins

"This was evil, the killer's demeanor was gleeful and I can't even begin to describe my rage. This man deserved his dignity and MPD denied him that."

— Minneapolis City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison

"We pay for a system of policing to protect and serve us that ultimately does not see our humanity. We need accountability now. Arrest and prosecute."

— Minneapolis City Council Member Phillipe Cunningham

"While the state and federal governments are investigating it is hard to even talk about justice in this situation because George should be alive. His murder should not have happened and when he asked for help he should have received help."

— Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender

"The reason there is so much outrage connected to it is because it is part of a larger pattern ... We've got to have permanent, deep, systemic change."

— Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

"[T]hose involved in this incident must be held accountable. Justice must be served for this man and his family, justice must be served for our community, and justice must be served for our country."

— U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn

"Black lives matter isn't just a chant, it's a call for justice. It's a call for accountability. It's a call for our humanity to be recognized. This must stop."

— U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.

"The evident injustice in the disregard for his humanity is appalling. Going forward, I will work with other local and state leaders to see this pattern never repeat itself."

— State Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake

"Watching the video was disturbing beyond words. This is a time when I agree 100% with Mayor Frey. Being black or any minority in this country should never be a death sentence. This should not happen to anyone."

— Republican Party of Minnesota Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan

"Some day when it's safe, we will all have the option of going back to normal. But we must not let that happen. Normal means that black and brown bodies are not safe. Normal was not working for us. We cannot get back to normal, we must get back to better."

— Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan

"I'm grieving for generations who've lived in fear for the safety of their children, their parents, their brothers and sisters. The 'sincere ignorance' to which MLK referred can no longer be tolerated in an enlightened nation. We MUST rise to the occasion."

— U.S. Representative Dean Phillips, D-Minn.

"Police and peace officers do a difficult job everyday keeping our communities safe, but protecting public safety fundamentally demands a respect for the civil rights and human rights of all residents."

— U.S. Representative Betty McCollum, D-Minn.

"We must hold these officers accountable for this senseless murder. How many times must a Black person die at the hands of a police officer before we act? We need to have a serious conversation about broadening police reform and eliminating police brutality."

— State Sen. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis

"This is why we talk about police abolition. There is no reform that can fix this system. No training or body camera or coaching or diversification effort or outside investigation or toothless oversight body that can fix this. The rot in police departments is the rot in our political and social systems, crystallized and heavily armed."

— State Rep. Aisha Gomez, DFL-Minneapolis

"What we see in this video is the result of structures of white supremacy that perpetuate that black and brown people don't matter. They do."

— State Rep. Raymond Dehn, DFL-Minneapolis

"The systemic targeting of and use of unnecessary force against people of color is woven into the fabric of our law enforcement institutions and stems from the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow in this country."

— American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota Executive Director John Gordon