Cornyn says Floyd killing ‘hard to watch,’ but ‘please take a deep breath’

WASHINGTON — After protests erupted in several U.S. cities over the death of an African-American man in police custody in Minneapolis, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday that “we need everybody to please take a deep breath” and await the results of an investigation.

Cornyn spoke after fellow Texas Republicans condemned the death of George Floyd, a native of Houston. Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis police custody Monday night. He had been arrested by officers investigating a report that someone had used a fake $20 bill to make a purchase at a store. Video showed an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck, pinning him to the ground while he pleaded for help, saying “I can’t breathe.”

“Boy, that was a hard thing to watch,” Cornyn said of the video. “And certainly our prayers go out to his family, and I would say our law enforcement officials have a very difficult job to do sometimes, but there will be a time of accountability if there was a mishandling of that situation.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

“I do know there have been acts of violence and various demonstrations around the country, including some vandalism here in San Antonio,” Cornyn continued. “That’s just simply unacceptable. We need everybody to please take a deep breath, let the authorities do their investigation and we will hold people who are responsible accountable, but violence is not called for.”

Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa called Cornyn’s choice of words “flat-out disgusting and downright wrong.”

“The family of George Floyd and those mourning his death are owed an immediate and unequivocal apology,” Hinojosa said. “Not only was Cornyn’s choice of words appalling, but the gall to demand that those grieving Floyd’s death calm down is reprehensible — regardless of the phrasing used.”

Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court justice, made his comments during an exchange with reporters after he handed out groceries at a San Antonio Food Bank distribution at the Alamodome.

Cornyn was asked about Floyd’s death and about President Donald Trump’s tweet Friday in which the president reacted to violent protests in Minneapolis by saying that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

The senator spoke before state authorities in Minnesota charged Derek Chauvin, the white officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The Justice Department is also investigating the case.

Gov. Greg Abbott said in an interview with Houston’s KPRC2 on Friday that Floyd’s death “should not have happened” and “obviously, from everything I have seen, this is a consequence of poor police work.”

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday tweeted: “Having watched the video, what happened to George Floyd is inexcusable and cannot be tolerated.

“Law enforcement should protect everyone, regardless of race,” said Cruz, R-Texas. “I am glad that the Department of Justice has stepped in, and I pray that justice is done.”

ARREST IN FLOYD CASE: Minneapolis cop who knelt on neck of handcuffed George Floyd charged

Rep. Will Hurd of San Antonio, the only black Republican in the House, said: “The video evidence in George Floyd’s case should be enough for the Hennepin County attorney to make arrests TODAY, so this police officer can be prosecuted for murder.”