Whatever Happened to the Young Woman Who Recorded George Floyd's Murder?
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
As the anniversary of George Floyd’s death swiftly approaches, we must remember Darnella Frazier, the young woman who recorded the video that showed the world what happened to him by the hands of crooked Minneapolis police officers.
Frazier was just 17 years old back on May 25, 2020, walking her cousin to the corner store when she witnessed the commotion between ex-Minneapolis officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and most notably, Derek Chauvin.
Frazier whipped out her phone to record the scene, capturing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly ten minutes as he screamed for his mother until he lost consciousness. Floyd died later at the hospital.
The Minneapolis Police Department attributed his death to “suffering medical distress.” However, Frazier’s video was the only thing showing what truly happened that day and we all know what followed the video’s circulation.
Protests erupted around the world demanding police accountability, other police brutality cases were brought into the limelight and finally, the officers involved were criminally charged with Floyd’s murder, convicted and handed both state and federal prison sentences.
Frazier’s boldness - recording in the face of the three officers trying to push back the bystanders - landed her a PEN America award in 2020 and a Pulitzer Prize in 2021.
“For courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists’ quest for truth and justice,” said Pulitzer on Frazier’s work.
Frazier has kept her life pretty private since that fatal day, not taking too many interviews and recalling reporters showing up randomly to her door. According to her statement one year after the incident, she’s still trying to heal from witnessing a murder.
“I still hold the weight and trauma of what I witnessed a year ago. A part of my childhood was taken from me. My 9-year-old cousin who witnessed the same thing I did get a part of her childhood taken from her. I couldn’t sleep properly for weeks. I used to shake so bad at night my mom had to rock me to sleep. Having panic and anxiety attacks every time I seen a police car, not knowing who to trust because a lot of people are evil with bad intentions. I hold that weight,” she wrote on Facebook.
Other users flooded the comments praising her for her bravery, thanking her and even offering their help in any way she needed to move forward.
“You have incredible courage and strength. I can’t imagine your pain, only try to follow your example. Thank you for your gift to ensure the truth was told and the leadership to make a difference. May you find healing and strength in community,” wrote one user.
Based on her social media, she just celebrated her 21st birthday in March and spends her time learning to cook, spending time with family, traveling and seemingly trying to adjust to her new normal.
“A lot of people call me a hero even though I don’t see myself as one. Behind this smile, behind these awards, behind the publicity, I’m a girl trying to heal from something I am reminded of every day,” she wrote.
