- Jun 2 2020,
- Updated: Jun 3 2020,
A TEENAGE girl who recorded the death of George Floyd says she has been forced to flee her home over cruel online trolls.
Darnella Frazier, 17, bravely filmed former officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck in Minneapolis but has been slammed by online bullies who are criticizing why she filmed the altercation but didn’t step in.
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The teenager who filmed footage of George Floyd’s death is seeing a therapist who specializes in trauma, according to reportsCredit: AP: Associated Press
In a Facebook post, the teenager addressed the criticism she says she has been receiving since her video was shared worldwide
The 17-year-old said she happened to be passing by when she saw white cop Derek Chauvin with his knee on the neck of black bouncer Floyd.
Floyd’s death has caused nationwide unrest, igniting protests across cities that look to address racism and police brutality in America.
Protests have since occurred across the globe.
Since the video has gone viral, Frazier feels she has been the target of unfair criticism.
TMZ reported earlier that the teen has started seeing a therapist who specializes in trauma, according to reports.
FLEEING HOME
The girl’s attorney, Seth B. Cobin, said she and her family are no longer staying in their South Minneapolis home, which is around the corner from where Floyd was killed.
The family is said to have moved to an undisclosed location without the aid of the police.
Their neighborhood has become a flashpoint for protests, and over recent days, a media frenzy has followed the unnamed girl.
Cobin explained: “She has good days and bad days. I know that when she closes her eyes, she sees the killing all over again, which is a classic symptom of PTSD.
“I’ve also talked to her about the toxic stuff on social media and she’s staying positive.
“She has no regrets about filming what happened, none at all because she knows it was the right thing to do. Personally, I think she’s one of the bravest people I’ve ever met.”
Cobin recounted how his client became involved in the horrific killing, which has led to former police officer Derek Chauvin being charged with murder.
He said: “She and her cousin, who is nine, live around the corner and the little girl wanted something from the store. Darnella said she would walk her there.
She has good days and bad days. I know that when she closes her eyes, she sees the killing all over again …
Attorney Seth B. Cobin
“As they approached the store, Darnella saw this chaos going on and the police extracting somebody from a vehicle.
“She got up closer, saw what was happening, pulled out her phone, and started recording. This happened in the presence of a group of people, including Darnella and her cousin.”
He accompanied the teenager when she was interviewed by law enforcement officers on Saturday.
The lawyer said: “What she filmed is one of the most shocking things I’ve ever seen and one of the most shocking things these hardened, very experienced investigators have ever seen.
“When she recounted it, it was the first time she had re-lived the eventfully. It was very emotional for her and for everybody sitting in that room.”
The teenager and her mother are no longer staying at their home in south Minneapolis, near the scene of the killing, and are believed to have moved in with family elsewhere.
CRUEL ONLINE TROLLS
In a Facebook post, the teenager expressed her feelings about the criticism she has received, writing: “I’m doing it for clout?? For attention?? What?? To get paid?? Now y’all just sound dumb and ignorant!!
“I don’t expect anyone who wasn’t placed in my position to understand why and how I feel the way that I do!!”
She went on to explain that she is a minor and would not have been able to have fought off a cop – believed to be a reference to people stating she should have aided Floyd.
The girl wrote that she is “SCARED,” adding, “If it wasn’t for me 4 cops would’ve still had their jobs, causing other problems.
“The police most definitely would’ve swept it under the rug with a cover-up story.
“Instead of bashing me, THANK ME!”
As well as undertaking therapy, the girl is keeping her mind busy by focusing on her school work, her attorney said.
According to reports, she and her mother met with the FBI Civil Rights Division and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Saturday to give them her statement.
‘SYSTEMIC RACISM’
Did George Floyd have a criminal past and why was he stopped by police?
Cobin said: “It’s not an easy story to tell. You’re going back to that place in your head and that’s not an easy way to go back. It was emotional for her to recount her story, and for all of us to hear it.”
Over the past three days, a GoFundMe campaign for the girl has raised more than $78,000 in donations.
Her phone has reportedly been taken to a crime lab, so that the original video can be extracted and used as evidence in Chauvin’s trial.
George Floyd was killed on May 25, sparking nationwide demonstrations against racism and police brutalityCredit: Facebook
