Philadelphia residents, DA Larry Krasner disgusted over death of George Floyd

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- George Floyd's recent death while in Minneapolis police custody continues to elicit a strong reaction from people across the country including here in the Philadelphia area.

We were at Malcolm X Park in West Philadelphia Friday to get hear what the public had to say about what was unfolding in Minneapolis.

Michelle and Zion Shaw walked right up to our cameras and wanted to talk.

Zion Shaw of West Philadelphia said, "We inhale the same oxygen, you understand. We walk the same street. Why should we be treated any different?"

The couple said Officer Derek Chauvin should've been charged with more than 3rd-degree murder.

Michelle Shaw said, "If you look at it, it was horrendous what they did to him. He was already down."

They said the other officers involved should be arrested too.

"If it was anybody in the urban, they would have been knocking at their door two hours or an hour later," Michelle said.

"Or running up in their house," Zion added.

In North Philadelphia at Erie and Broad streets, Karen Jackson of Germantown couldn't believe the other officers just stood there.

"Why would you stand there? Why would you not help? He's a human being. Why would you do that?" said Jackson.

As far as the riots, no one we spoke with agreed with them, but did say communities have hit a breaking point.

"People are just tired and tired and tired," said Jackson.

Anthony Ragsdaoe of North Philadelphia said, "It gets to a point where it turns into pent-up frustration."

Michelle Shaw said, "I don't agree with the riots, but I understand the anger that has built up so many years."

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who campaigned on prosecuting these types of issues, said the Chauvin arrest should have been immediate.

"Honestly I believe that there were grounds to arrest from the moment anyone in law enforcement saw that video," said Krasner.

Krasner said the same with the other officers.

"We as a country have lived far too long with prosecutors who will basically do anything to cover for police," Krasner said.

Krasner believes that had an immediate arrest happened, maybe the protests wouldn't have turned so violent.