Derek Chauvin mugshot | Minnesotas Hennepin County Jail
It has been revealed by a source that George Floyd and Derek Chauvin were once coworkers who “bumped heads.”
Derek Chauvin is the former Minneapolis police officer responsible for pinning George Floyd’s neck with his knee and causing his death.
Floyd’s family claims that the now infamous murder was, in part, personal.
Mourners gathered together to honor George Floyd during his funeral in Minneapolis yesterday. As they did so, CBS News learned new details about the alleged history between Floyd and Chauvin.
According to a former coworker, David Pinney, the pair had a history of friction. He says the two men worked together as security at a nightclub.
“They bumped heads,” said Pinney.
“How?” asked CBS News.
“It has a lot to do with Derek being extremely aggressive within the club with some of the patrons, which was an issue,” explained Pinney.
The Floyd family believes that what happened on May 25 between the officer and Floyd was personal. Their lawyer is now pressing for Chauvin to be charged with first-degree murder “because we believe he knew who George Floyd was.”
“Is there any doubt in your mind that Derek Chauvin knew George Floyd?” CBS News asked Pinney.
“No, he knew him,” said Pinney. “I would say pretty well.”
Related: Trump Makes Strange Conspiracy Claims as Floyd Funeral Unfolds in Houston
Maya Santamaria is the owner of El Nuevo Rodeo, the nightclub where Floyd and Chauvin worked together. The club has since been torched as a result of recent protests.
Santamaria said she’d been paying Chauvin for 17 years to sit in his squad car outside of the nightclub when he was off-duty. She chose to employ Chauvin instead of relying on wireless home security systems.
She said Floyd and Chauvin worked together on Tuesday nights and described how Chauvin treated black patrons of the club.
“Do you think Derek had a problem with black people?” asked CBS News.
“I think he was afraid and intimidated,” said Santamaria.
“By black folks?” asked CBS News.
“Yeah,” confirmed Santamaria.
She says she’d like to see her former employee punished for what he did.
“We have to make Derek Chauvin an example so that police around the country realize that it’s not OK, and they’re not going to get away with it and there will be repercussions. Otherwise, it’s going to continue to happen,” said Santamaria.
Santamaria also spoke about how Floyd was well-known and liked by her patrons. She said when she’d check in on him during work, he’d often ask her, “How are you?” or he’d cheerily say, “How you doing, boss lady?”
Related: Floyd Family Lawyer Asks United Nations to Intervene in Case
