46-year-old George Floyd died in hospital on Monday after being arrested by police earlier in the evening. From the beginning, the police stated that he resisted, and that he died for medical reasons.
But a video from a passerby spread on social media showed how the now-prosecuted police pushed Floyd down to the ground with his knee to his neck. The video hears how George Floyd appeals to the police that he cannot breathe.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, the now-charged police have previously received 18 complaints directed at them. Two of these had led to a complaint from the authority, CNN reports.
The other three police officers who participated in the arrest that led to Floyd's death are also being investigated for crimes. One of them was in court in 2017 after allegations of "cruel and unusual" treatment during an arrest.
All four have been dismissed, but protesters have in recent days demanded that they also be brought to justice.
The incident has sparked vigorous protests against police brutality and racism in several US cities over the past three days.