Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore quickly apologized after he said that the death of George Floyd is on looters’ hands “as much” as it is on the four Minneapolis police officers fired over the incident, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.
Moore made the remarks while participating in a Monday press conference with Mayor Eric Garcetti, saying the LAPD arrested approximately 700 people the previous day during protests over Floyd’s death, with some 10% arrested for burglary or looting, ABC7 reported.
“We didn’t have people mourning the death of this man, George Floyd, we had people capitalizing,” Moore said. “His death is on their hands as much as it is those officers.”
Moore came back to clarify himself a few minutes later, saying he “misspoke when I said his blood is on their hands” and that he regretted “that characterization,” although he said he would not apologize to those “committing violence, destroying lives and livelihoods and creating this destruction.”
The police chief added that Floyd’s “memory deserves reform ... a better Los Angeles, a better United States and a better world.”
Later on, Moore apologized again on Twitter, saying “I misspoke when making a statement about those engaging in violent acts following the murder of George Floyd."
"While I did immediately correct myself, I recognize that my initial words were terribly offensive,” he continued in another tweet. “Looting is wrong, but it is not the equivalent of murder, and I did not mean to equate the two. I deeply regret and humbly apologize for my characterization.”
He added that, “Let me be clear: the police officers involved were responsible for the death of George Floyd.”