George Floyd: Friends say US man who died in police custody was ‘beautiful spirit’

He was described as a ‘gentle giant’ and ‘always positive’ by those who knew him well

Friends of George Floyd, who died in police custody earlier this week, have paid tribute to the man who was nicknamed “gentle giant” as a teen.

Mr Floyd died on Monday, after police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck while detaining him, sparking protests across the US and outcry from politicians, including former president Barack Obama.

Mr Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday and may face further charges in the future, according to county attorney Mike Freeman.

In the aftermath of Mr Floyd’s death, his friends paid tribute to him, and the life he made for himself in Minneapolis.

Christopher Harris, who was Mr Floyd’s friend since they were children, told The Guardian that he moved from his hometown of Houston, to Minneapolis, to start a new life after a stint in prison from 2009 to 2014.

“He was looking to start over fresh, a new beginning,” Mr Harris told the outlet. “He was happy with the change he was making.”

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Floyd lost his job as a bouncer at restaurant, Conga Latin Bistro, as it was forced to close, amid the crisis.

However, Mr Floyd was described as “always positive” by Jovanni Tunstrom, who owned the bistro, and Mr Harris added that his friend “was doing whatever it takes to maintain going forward with his life.”

Mr Tunstrom added: “He had a good attitude. He would dance badly to make people laugh.

“I tried to teach him how to dance because he loved Latin music, but I couldn’t because he was too tall for me. He always called me ‘Bossman’. I said, ‘Floyd, don’t call me Bossman. I’m your friend.’”

Mr Floyd, who stood at 6”6, was a talented American football player, and was nicknamed “gentle giant,” as a teen by his teammates.

His childhood friend, Donnell Cooper, told the outlet that he remembers watching him play, and added that he had a ”quiet personality but a beautiful spirit.”

Mr Harris told The Guardian that the way his friend died was “senseless,” and added that “he begged for his life. He pleaded for his life.

“When you try so hard to put faith in this system, a system that you know isn’t designed for you, when you constantly seek justice by lawful means and you can’t get it, you begin to take the law into your own hands.”