(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot were among the elected officials responding Tuesday to the conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer in the murder of George Floyd.
Pritzker was among the first prominent officials to speak about the death of Floyd, a Black man, who died under the knee of then-officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, during an arrest as he said he couldn’t breathe.
The fatality was recorded in a now-infamous viral video.
Two days after Floyd’s May 25 death, Pritzker dedicated part of his coronavirus update in the thick of the pandemic to condemn the killing, saying it was “dangerous to pretend” Black people don’t face a greater risk in interactions with police.
“Being black in America cannot be a death sentence, but it is,” Pritzker said then.
Tuesday, the governor in a written statement sounded a somewhat optimistic note: “This verdict marks an important milestone on the journey to justice, but the fullest measure of progress is how we deliver accountability, safety and meaningful change.”
Mayor Lightfoot also had praise for the jury’s conviction of Chauvin.
“Today marks a moment where future generations can look back and see that we as a nation came together and rightfully demanded justice and accountability. And justice was served.”
The Chauvin guilty verdicts for murder and manslaughter come as unrest continues in Chicago over the March 29 fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Little Village. Graphic police body cam video shows Toledo running from an officer in an alley, possibly tossing a gun away and raising his hands before the officer fires and hits him in the chest.
Toledo died at the scene.
“Our Black and Brown communities need justice and accountability,” said Chicago Congressman Chuy Garcia, who backs national police reforms. “Our children need to know they can feel safe if they go to the corner store. They need to know they should not fear for their lives every time they are confronted by a police officer.”
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