George Floyd’s death has reignited discussions about police brutality and systemic racism in the United States. Following his death, a family member created a GoFundMe account to help the family with his funeral costs and it has more than delivered.
Since launching five days ago, the GoFundMe page has raised an incredible $9.5 million from more than 378,000 donors.
The initial goal for the fundraiser was $1.5 million.
“On May 25, 2020, my life shattered as I learned of the tragic passing of my dear brother, George,” Floyd’s sister, Philonise Floyd, wrote. “My family and I watched in absolute horror as the now infamous and horrifying video began to spread quickly throughout social media. What we saw on that tape left us shell shocked; a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling directly on my brother’s neck, obstructing his ability to breathe.
“As some officers knelt on his neck, other officers participated and watched; no one took any action to save my brother’s life. Those officers would continue to brutalize my brother until he died.
“This fund is established to cover funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and to assist our family in the days to come as we continue to seek justice for George. A portion of these funds will also go to the Estate of George Floyd for the benefit and care of his children and their educational fund.”
Floyd was killed after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the back of his neck for nearly 8 minutes while Floyd pleaded for air. The ex-officer, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested for third-degree murder. The three other officers involved — Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao — have been fired by the Minneapolis Police Department and remain under investigation.
