FORT MYERS, Fla. — As part of our Race Relations special, Fox 4 interviewed Dr. David Thomas, an African American man who was a police officer for 20 years before becoming a Forensic Studies Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. He said growing up, he dealt with racial bias from police himself but eventually became an officer.
When the video of George Floyd's death in an encounter with Minneapolis Police went viral at the end of May, Dr. Thomas said he watched the entire video three times.
"First, I took it for the initial 'OK, what's happened here?' Then I watched it a second time to try to understand. And then the third time, I really kind of get into tactics," he said.
Dr. Thomas said seeing a video like this was horrifying.
"It scares the hell out of me. I have a grandson in Michigan. I have a son in Texas, and I have a son herein."
