George Floyd's Death Raises Concerns For Tulsa City, Community Leaders

TULSA, Okla. - Tulsa city and community leaders are speaking up about their concerns for the black community after the nationally covered death of George Floyd.

Many said they are outraged by Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on Monday. Floyd is a black man who died while in police custody.

Protests and rallies have popped up across the nation in response to Floyd’s death and now Tulsans spoke up as well at a meeting at North Peoria Christ Church on Thursday. Pastor Warren Blakney Sr., State Representative Regina Goodwin, local activist Tiffany Crutcher, and more spoke about their anger towards the racist actions.

“I saw an officer sworn to uphold the law to protect and serve put his knee on the neck of an unarmed black man and hold it there until his last breath,” said Dr. Warren Blakney Sr., the North Peoria Church of Christ pastor.

Tulsa leaders are speaking up about what needs to change before what’s happening in Minneapolis happens again.

“We are saying that while Tulsa has been peaceful and handled situations differently, officials are wondering how that and how much more can people take,” said Goodwin.

Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin expressed his sorrow through a tweet Thursday afternoon, saying building trust with the community is hard and officers must be held to a higher standard.

Here in Tulsa, 700 miles from Minneapolis, these local leaders have a request for our community and our country.

“These men’s lives mean something to their families; they need to mean something to this nation and country” said Anthony Scott, the First Baptist Tulsa pastor.

“They have to speak up. I need the good cops. I’m calling on the good cops to speak up and speak out and weed out the bad apples. You took an oath to serve and protect,” said Crutcher.

The officers involved in Floyd’s death have been suspended from their duties, but not charged for the crime at this time. President Trump is asking the FBI and the Justice Department to fast-track the investigation.