U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Friday announced that the Department of Justice, including the FBI, is conducting an independent investigation of George Floyd’s May 25 death to determine whether any federal civil rights laws were violated. “The video images of the incident that ended with [the] death of Mr. Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers, were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing,” Barr said in a statement.

Noting that both state and federal officers are working collaboratively, Barr said that, in typical practice, the state’s charging decisions are made first. “Under our system, charging decisions must be, and will be, based on the law and facts,” he added. “This process is proceeding quickly. I am confident justice will be served.” One officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday.