George Floyd — “Perry” to his friends — was a Houston native. The 6’3″ 46-year-old grew up playing sports, especially basketball and football, which earned him a university scholarship, making him the first of his six siblings to go to college. He became involved in a church ministry, acting as a youth mentor there. He was also active in Houston’s rap scene, where he performed under the moniker “Big Floyd.” He had 5 children, worked as a bouncer at the El Nuevo Rodeo Club, and prayed at every meal with his family.
George Floyd was murdered by police on May 25, 2020, over a matter of $20. Suspected of using a counterfeit bill, three cops handcuffed George and pinned him face down in the street while a fourth cop placed his knee on George’s neck and asphyxiated him over the course of nine minutes despite his constant, panicked plea: “I can’t breathe.” He only got off his neck after EMTs demanded he do so, more than two minutes after George had gone unconscious. The three other cops merely watched George die. It would take a week of protests before all four cops were charged with any crime.
Black lives matter.
