George Floyd’s brother makes emotional visit to site of his death

FAN Editor

Terrence Floyd was overcome with emotions Monday when he visited a memorial created at the site where his brother, George Floyd, died at the hands of a police officer one week earlier.

The younger Floyd’s knees buckled when he saw massive painting on a wall in Minneapolis.

Flowers and signs, as well as an outline of a body on the ground depicting where George Floyd took his last breath, are nearby.

After sitting on the spot where his brother died, Terrence Floyd spoke through tears, pleading with protesters to direct their anger to bring change, not destruction.

He advocated for the arrest of the three other police officers who were at the scene that night. He shouted, “One down…” and the crowd assembled replied, “Three to go!”

“Educate yourself and know who you are voting for. And that’s how we’re gonna hit ’em,” Terrence Floyd said.

“Keep my brother’s name ringing,” he told the crowd.

“We’re still gonna do this peacefully,” he vowed.

In an interview with ABC News’ Alex Perez on Sunday night, Terrence Floyd pleaded with protesters to not destroy their cities. He said he understands why people are angry, but he worries his brother’s memory will be overshadowed by the destructive protests.

“[S]ometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads, too,” Terrence Floyd said. “I wanna … just go crazy. But I’m here. My brother wasn’t about that. My brother was about peace. You’ll hear a lot of people say he was a gentle giant.”

Speaking to “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts on Monday morning, Terrence Floyd said his brother “would want us to seek justice” but to channel the anger “another way.”

“It’s OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because we’ve been down this road already,” he said. “The anger, damaging your hometown is not the way he’d want.”

George Floyd died in Minneapolis on Memorial Day while in police custody. A bystander’s viral cellphone video showed a former police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd’s neck, while Floyd repeatedly stated “I can’t breathe.” Those final words have become an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Following his death, protests in Minnesota have spread across the country. Some have resulted in vandalism and destruction of property, with many cities issuing curfews in response.

Terrence Floyd urged those protesters to “relax.”

“Don’t tear up your town, all of this is not necessary because if his own family and blood is not doing it, then why are you?” he told ABC News. “If his own family and blood are trying to deal with it and be positive about it, and go another route to seek justice, then why are you out here tearing up your community? Because when you’re finished and turn around and want to go buy something, you done tore it up. So now you messed up your own living arrangements. So just relax. Justice will be served.”

Terrence Floyd said his brother was known around the community for his “positivity” and “motivation,” which “is how he should be remembered.”

“Do something positive. Stop making excuses,” he said. “And that’s what I feel is going on: They’re using this as an excuse to be stupid.”

On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in George Floyd’s death. Terrence Floyd wants to see justice served for the other three officers who also responded to the scene.

“I want to see all of them get punished to the full extent for what they did to my brother,” Terrence Floyd said. “Because when I saw the videos, not only was the dude on his neck … not only that, you got the other three officers behind the camera, behind the car on him. So he can’t move.”

Terrence Floyd said on “GMA” that he is traveling from his home in New York City on Tuesday to visit the site in Minneapolis where his brother drew his last breath.

“I just want to feel my brother’s spirit,” he said. “Just connect with him again.”

ABC News’ Morgan Winsor and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report

This report was featured in the Tuesday, June 2, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast.

“Start Here” offers a straightforward look at the day’s top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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