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Minneapolis cop reunited with family 5 years after George Floyd's death. Read how God used him to share the Gospel in jail. ✊
Not The Bee ^ | November 14, 2025 | Doc Holliday

Posted on 11/14/2025 8:00:58 AM PST by Red Badger

Remember how insane 2020 was?

In the midst of all the George Floyd insanity, you may have forgotten that a Minneapolis officer named Tou Thao, who just so happened to be standing nearby while Derek Chauvin was detaining George Floyd, was sent to prison for the crime of being in the area where Floyd overdosed and crashed out.

He spent almost five years in jail.

Former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao has been released from federal prison and was seen in recent photos reuniting with his children after years behind bars. Thao was sentenced to nearly five years in prison over the 2020 death of George Floyd.

A fundraiser launched to help support Thao and his family as he rebuilds his life stated, 'After Tou's release from his political imprisonment, many have asked for a way to donate and show their support.

...

Photos shared to the fundraiser showed Thao on Tuesday embracing his children as they ran to him at a playground.

Here are those photos:

And here is the link to his family's GiveSendGo.

On that fateful 2020 day, Thao was helping arrest Floyd after a local store had called police, claiming Floyd had tried to use a fake bill.

Floyd, a career criminal, was found in the vehicle of his drug dealer and had multiple drugs in his system, including fentanyl. For several minutes, he actively resisted officers' restrained and professional attempts to put him in the back of a squad car, overpowering them at multiple points in the struggle.

When police were able to get Floyd on the ground, Officer Derek Chauvin put his knee between Floyd's shoulder blades, not on his neck as many believed. This technique is taught to U.S. law enforcement as a standard method of restraining suspects. As a crowd gathered, Thao tried to hold them back so officers could calm Floyd down and get him into the car.

Thao at the scene Unfortunately, as they were surrounded by an angry mob, the officers did not perceive that Floyd, high on drugs, was having a cardiovascular event.

Thao was found guilty of "aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter" and his sentence included both state and FEDERAL charges.

Despite that, Thao's family says his faith in Jesus Christ was strengthened in prison, where he was able to be a witness for many: What the enemy meant for evil, God used it for good. Providence sent him to a hospital prison. This allowed him to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with many terminally ill inmate patients. God healed many and many entered into eternity to meet their Savior.

On GiveSendGo, donors poured out prayer and thanks for Thao:

Thao did not have his children visit him in prison, not wanting to subject them to the trauma of such a visit. In May, he said this to Alpha News:

But for Derek being born white, we'd all still be patrolling the city of Minneapolis...

And:

I've missed birthdays, Christmas. I don't even know how tall they are anymore. Difficult to miss parts of childhood. Never get it back. All because people want to get promotions, publicity and make money.

😔


TOPICS: Current Events; History; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 11/14/2025 8:00:58 AM PST by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger
Despite that, Thao's family says his faith in Jesus Christ was strengthened in prison,

And at the same time, my faith in the US justice and political system has dropped to ZERO.

2 posted on 11/14/2025 8:05:31 AM PST by PGR88
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To: Red Badger

What a sad, sad story and a horrendous miscarriage of justice. Poor Mr. Tou Thao.

FEDERAL charges?


3 posted on 11/14/2025 8:16:37 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Red Badger

What an awful deal. Not sure what could be done as partial compensation for this man losing five years of his life due to political prosecution.


4 posted on 11/14/2025 8:18:17 AM PST by plain talk
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To: PGR88
And at the same time, my faith in the US justice and political system has dropped to ZERO.

You and millions of others. This was a political crime invented by the media mob ex-post facto.

5 posted on 11/14/2025 8:21:14 AM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys many aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: Red Badger

So tired of hearing GF’s death referred to as a murder. Heard the same about Michael Brown, on Skip Gates” show on PBS.


6 posted on 11/14/2025 8:28:33 AM PST by gundog (The ends justify the mean tweets. )
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To: Red Badger

This will come with a career change I’m sure!


7 posted on 11/14/2025 8:31:02 AM PST by albie
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To: PGR88

I hear ya


8 posted on 11/14/2025 8:32:32 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: Red Badger

The LORD bless him and his family, body, soul, and spirit, in the mighty Name of Jesus, amen.


9 posted on 11/14/2025 8:37:03 AM PST by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
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To: Red Badger

The whole George Floyd trial was a miscarriage of justice. The trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis and away from BLM agitators. At least one prospective juror said he feared for his and his family’s safety if he was to serve on the jury. This poor cop was a rookie and was just on the scene and never should have been charged. Contrast this to the rioters none of whom were ever brought to trial for burning down a police station and scores of businesses


10 posted on 11/14/2025 8:38:17 AM PST by The Great RJ
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To: Red Badger

George Floyd DID kill hisself.

Derrick Chauvin and the other officers were railroaded!

Chauvin followed training and procedure. His actions had NOTHING to do with drug addict/felon George Floyd’s death. Floyd overdosed on drugs he took to avoid them being confiscated. He got his LAST high alright.

Our court/justice system SUCKS! How could this travesty of justice happen? Chauvin still sits in prison for just doing his job, arresting scumbag criminals like George Floyd.


11 posted on 11/14/2025 8:40:29 AM PST by faucetman (Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts )
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To: faucetman

I think Chauvin’s biggest problem was the apparent smirk on his face while his knee was on GF’s back.


12 posted on 11/14/2025 8:53:06 AM PST by jagusafr ( )
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To: faucetman

I think Chauvin’s biggest problem was the apparent smirk on his face while his knee was on GF’s back.


13 posted on 11/14/2025 8:54:30 AM PST by jagusafr ( )
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To: The Great RJ
The whole George Floyd trial was a miscarriage of justice. The trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis and away from BLM agitators.

It was a political show trial. And the George Floyd riots were all pre-prepared.

Start with the fact that BLM were very much Obama/Holders brown-shirts or red guards. They were organized by the White House (50+ visits) and legally protected by the DOJ. We are now seeing how their funding was channeled through deep-state/leftist NGOs. Absolutely nothing grass roots about them

Then one simply waits for the best timing for them to be deployed. in the case of Floyd, in our country of 350 million, Black men are killed by police weekly under difficult circumstances. George Floyd's case fit the bill for an organized street riot, and all the pieces, including media, were put into action.

14 posted on 11/14/2025 9:08:40 AM PST by PGR88
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To: Red Badger

I’m disgusted by what was done to these LEO’S for political reasons. Never in a million years would I imagine what is being done to our country. I pray for my grandchildren.


15 posted on 11/14/2025 9:09:31 AM PST by lula (God is in control.)
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To: jagusafr

As Tou Thao said, Chauvin’s biggest problem is that his skin was the wrong color.


16 posted on 11/14/2025 9:23:42 AM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: PGR88

Officer Tou Thao knows God’s promise in Romans 8:28, For we know that God works ALL things to the good of those who love Him, to those who are called according to his purpose. And as Joseph told his brothers who had sold him into slavery in Genesis 50:20 ²⁰You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Officer Thao’s faithfulness to his Lord allowed him to bring God’s words of life to many he would not otherwise have met.


17 posted on 11/14/2025 9:33:12 AM PST by Truth not Theories (I'm so thankful that God is in control. He's the one we can trust. )
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To: Red Badger

How’s old George doing these days


18 posted on 11/14/2025 11:14:40 AM PST by mrmeyer (You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him. Robert Heinlein)
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To: Red Badger
Thao at the scene Unfortunately, as they were surrounded by an angry mob, the officers did not perceive that Floyd, high on drugs, was having a cardiovascular event. Thao was found guilty of "aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter" and his sentence included both state and FEDERAL charges.

A terrible injustice.

19 posted on 11/14/2025 11:19:24 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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