Tragic Missed Opportunities to Save George Floyd

A groundbreaking study from Lancaster University uncovers that the tragic murder of George Floyd could have been prevented if police had heedfully responded to the bystanders’ pleas for help.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. For the first time, psychologists examined a series of videos captured on police body cameras, smartphones, and local CCTV, spanning the critical moments from 7:55 PM to 8:42 PM on that fateful day.

Bystander Interventions Under Scrutiny

The study, featured in the journal *American Psychologist*, investigates the various verbal and physical tactics employed by bystanders trying to save Floyd’s life while he was being restrained on the ground. The research was led by Professor Mark Levine alongside Dr. Chris Walton, Dr. Richard Philpot from Lancaster University, and Dr. Tina Keil from the Leibniz Institute for Psychology.

Professor Levine emphasized the critical role of these bystander interventions, stating, "These interactions could have prompted officers to alter their behavior, potentially averting murder. Our findings reveal that officers didn’t adequately respond to the crowd’s concerns, sealing Floyd’s tragic fate."

The Disturbing Timeline of Events

Four officers were directly engaged in Floyd's arrest: Officers Lane and Kueng, who initially restrained him, followed by Chauvin and Thao, who arrived shortly after. Notably, Chauvin began kneeling on Floyd's neck just moments after arriving on the scene.

Researchers painstakingly compiled a detailed transcript from various audio and video sources, documenting the bystanders’ interventions and their timing throughout the incident.

Anatomy of the Interventions

In total, the analysis recorded 205 direct verbal interventions from the crowd, with an astonishing 177 targeting the police. These interventions included poignant statements like "He is human," direct questions such as, "Does he have a pulse?" and urgent commands like, "Check his pulse right now and tell me what it is!"

Most interventions focused on Floyd's well-being, emphasizing statements such as, "He cannot breathe," and questioning the necessity of the officers' actions. Despite a barrage of urgent appeals, police largely ignored or dismissed the bystanders.

Key Moments of Opportunity