Handcuffed black man dies after white policeman kneeled on his neck during arrest

Distressing footage shows a black man pleading that he can't breathe as a white police officer kneels on his neck, shortly before he died. The clip, taken by a passerby, captures the man - named in US media reports as George Floyd - begging the officer: "Don't kill me." The FBI is now investigating the man's death after the video, which was shared on Facebook, sparked outrage. 

 In a statement Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey voiced his outrage, saying: "Being Black in America should not be a death sentence." It happened during an arrest in Minneapolis at around 8pm yesterday.

 The man repeatedly said he couldn't breathe, saying: “I cannot breathe! I cannot breathe! Don’t kill me!” Two officers have been suspended with pay, police chiefs said. The Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement that they were called to reports of forgery and found the man, in his 40s, sitting on top of a car.  

He “appeared to be under the influence,” the statement said, continuing: “He was ordered to step from his car. “After he got out, he physically resisted officers. "Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress.”

Officers called an ambulance and he was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center “where he died a short time later". Furious mayor Mr Frey wrote: "For five minutes, we watched a white officer press his knee into a Black man’s neck. Five minutes. "When you hear someone calling for help, you’re supposed to help. "This officer failed in the most basic, human sense. What happened on Chicago and 38th last night is awful. "It was traumatic. It serves as a reminder of how far we have to go." And he continued: "All I keep coming back to is this: this man should not have died.