On Monday, May 25, 2020, 46-year old George Floyd was killed by four law enforcement officers — Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao.
In the days following, Americans watched a video demonstrating the inhumane nature in which George Floyd was held to the ground, unable to move due to a law enforcement officer, Derick Chauvin, forcing his knee on George Floyd’s neck.
Though only one police officer was seen as the primary participant in this murder, kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, it is apparent that his colleagues — Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao — were aware of the behavior that occurred after each of them assisted in not only handcuffing George Floyd, but also forcing him to the ground.
Never in the video does Tou Thao tell Chauvin to release his body from George Floyd’s neck.
Instead, Tou Thao stood nearby, looking menacingly at bystanders who urged Chauvin to remove his knee from George Floyd’s neck.