Darnella Frazier, the Minneapolis teen who shot the viral video of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Derek Chauvin, cried when she heard the guilty verdict.
“I just cried so hard. This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing [sic] through the roof,” Darnell Frazier, 18, wrote in an emotional social media post. She was 17 at the time she filmed the fatal encounter.
“But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES!!! THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. George Floyd we did it!! justice has been served,” she added, along with prayer and heart emojis.
Earlier, she wrote that her “heart goes out” to Floyd’s family.
“Although no amount of charges will bring back a loved one, justice was served and his murderer will pay the price. We did it,” she wrote.
Darnella Frazier wrote that she “cried so hard” in an Instagram message after the verdict was decided. InstagramFrazier quickly received an outpouring of support online for her role in documenting the crime and helping bring justice to the grieving family.
“Thank you Darnella. Continue to work that phone. You’re the HERO!” one Instagram user wrote.
George Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020. Ben Crump Law“We thank you Darnella a true blessing, without you we would have seen no justice for #GeorgeFloyd. May you also heal from seeing such a traumatic murder,” another said.
After the guilty verdict was read Tuesday, President Biden called Frazier a “brave young woman with a smartphone camera,” CBS News reported.
Actress Kerry Washington called her a “hero,” tweeting: “Her bravery in that moment must never be forgotten. We lift you up Darnella.”
Pete Souza, a former White House photographer, said in a tweet that Frazier “demonstrated courage and perseverance in filming what she knew was wrong. This verdict does not happen without her.”
New York City mayoral candidate Ray McGuire also praised the young woman.
“Without her bravery that prioritized George Floyd’s humanity over her own safety, this verdict may not have been possible,” he said, according to CBS News.
Frazier broke down in court when asked to identify Chauvin before she described agonizing, sleepless nights apologizing for not saving Floyd’s life.
She sobbed when prosecutors asked her if she recognized Chauvin in a photo that shows the fallen cop with his knee on Floyd’s neck.
Darnella Frazier posted this message of thanks to Instagram. Instagram“This was the officer that was kneeling on George Floyd’s neck,” Frazier told Jerry Blackwell, a member of the prosecution team.
Her video of the deadly encounter, the first to go viral, sparked worldwide protests for racial justice and against police brutality.
Derek Chauvin is taken into custody following the verdicts in the murder trial of George Floyd. Court TV via AP, PoolLast year, Frazier was the recipient of the Benenson Courage Award from PEN America, a leading literary and human rights organization.
“With nothing more than a cellphone and sheer guts, Darnella changed the course of history in this country, speaking a bold movement demanding an end to systemic anti-black racism and violence at the hands of police,” PEN CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement.
Terrence Floyd (left), brother of George Floyd, raises his hands during a news conference alongside attorney Ben Crump after former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in the killing of George Floyd, Tuesday, April 20, 2021, in Minneapolis. AP Photo/John Minchillo“With remarkable steadiness, Darnella carried out the expressive act of bearing witness, and allowing hundreds of millions around the world to see what she saw,” she said.
“Without Darnella’s presence of mind and readiness to risk her own safety and well-being, we may never have known the truth about George Floyd’s murder,” Nossel added.
