Dana Mathewson

They both worked security for the same restaurant for a long time. The former owner of the restaurant says she can't be certain they were actually acquainted with each other.

I'd also hazard a guess that the cop has long-term anger management issues.

A white Minneapolis police officer and the black man he's charged with killing both worked as security guards at the same Latin nightclub as recently as last year, but its former owner says she's not sure if they knew each other.

What she is certain of is how aggressive Officer Derek Chauvin became when the club hosted events that drew a mainly black clientele, responding to fights by taking out his mace and spraying the crowd, a tactic she told him was unjustified "overkill."

"He would mace everyone instead of apprehending the people who were fighting," said Maya Santamaria, former owner of El Nuevo Rodeo club in Minneapolis. "He would call backup. The next thing you would know, there would five or six squad cars."

Chauvin became the focus of outrage and four days of street protests across the nation this week after he was seen on cellphone video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for more than eight minutes during his arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill. Floyd died in custody and Chauvin was fired Tuesday and arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter. The three other officers who took part in the arrest were also fired, and they remain under investigation.

While Chauvin's off-duty job at the El Nuevo Rodeo club stretched over 17 years until a few months ago, Floyd only started working there recently as a bouncer and only worked about a dozen events put on by "African American promoters."

Santamaria, who sold the venue within the past two months, said she doesn't believe the two men knew each other prior to their fateful encounter Monday night. If Chauvin had recognized Floyd, she said, "he might have given him a little more mercy."

She said Chauvin got along well with the club's Latino regulars, but his tactics toward unruly customers on what she referred to as "African American" nights led her to speak to him about it.

"I told him I thought this is unnecessary to be pepper-sprayed. The knee-jerk reaction of being afraid, it seemed overkill," Santamaria said. "It was a concern and I did voice my opinion, but police officers have a way of justifying what they do." [emphasis added]

I said something about "anger management issues." Perhaps it wasn't that; perhaps he exhibited a lack of bravery. At any rate, some people should be cops and some shouldn't. I believe Chauvin falls into the latter category. Let me know what you think.

Go here https://www.foxnews.com/us/george-floyd-fired-officer-derek-chauvin-worked-at-same-minneapolis-nightclub to read the full article.

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