He died in less than nine minutes, gasping for air before lying motionless on the concrete without a pulse.
People across the country, especially in the Black community, recoiled in horror as video evidence of the police brutality careened across the internet and TV screens. Thousands of protesters would soon surge into the streets, powering up a movement that had been brewing for years.
The murder of George Floyd was nothing new; this one had simply been laid bare for the world to see. And the nation cried out for justice.
