The Black teen who earned a special citation for a Pulitzer Prize for “courageously recording the murder of George Floyd” has suffered another loss at the hands of police: the death of her uncle, Leneal Frazier. “Leneal was killed Tuesday, July 6th, 2021 at the intersection of 41st Avenue North and Lyndale Avenue after being struck during a police chase,” activist Lisa Clemons said on a fundraising page she created for the family. “The person police were chasing got away, and (Leneal) who was driving a different car was killed.” Police confirmed Clemons’ account of what happened to WCCO and said the person they were chasing is a suspect in a robbery and carjacking.

Darnella Frazier, who was 17 when she recorded Floyd’s death, said in a Facebook post Tuesday about her uncle’s death that she “honestly can’t believe” it. “Another black man lost his life in the hands of the police! I asked my mom several times ‘he died??’. I couldn’t accept what I was hearing and still can’t,” Darnella said. “Some things just take time to process. I’m still in shock and it haven’t fully hit me yet, I broke down in tears I was hoping it was a dream…but it’s not and this is reality.”

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She added in the post: “Minneapolis police has cost my whole family a big loss…today has been a day full of heartbreak and sadness . We went to the spot he was killed at and put beautiful flowers and candles, but even thats not enough to bring him back. It’s not fair how the police can just go around killing people…WHY ARE YOU DOING A HIGH SPEED CHASE ON A RESIDENTIAL RODE??? you took an innocent life trying to catch someone else… I don’t know how to feel… I was just with you at the beach ….if I would’ve known that would be my last time seeing you, I would’ve hugged you so much longer, told you I love you way harder….I love you so much…. please pray for my family His name is Leneal Lamont Frazier. Uncle I love you it’s just hard for me to accept I won’t see you again.”

Darnella gave powerful testimony during the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering Floyd when the ex-cop kneeled on the Black father’s neck for more than nine minutes. Darnella mentioned her uncle in that testimony. “When I look at George Floyd, I look at my dad. I look at my brothers. I look at my cousins, my uncles because they are all Black,” she said. “I have a Black father. I have a Black brother. I have Black friends. And I look at that, and I look at how that could have been one of them.”

View the initial press release about Leneal Frazier’s death below:

 July 6, 2021 (MINNEAPOLIS) at 12:29 am on Tuesday morning, an Officer with the Minneapolis Police Department located a carjacked vehicle, in the area of 6th Street North and Lowry Avenue, involved in multiple robbery of businesses.  The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.  Instead of stopping, the driver fled, and the officer pursued.  

 As the officer entered the intersection travelling northbound on Lyndale Avenue at 41st Avenue North, he collided with a vehicle that was travelling westbound.  A southbound vehicle was also involved in the crash.

Two people, the Officer and the driver of the westbound vehicle, were transported to North Memorial Medical Center by ambulances.  The officer was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.  The other driver died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the scene and will conduct a reconstruction and investigation into the crash.

The Medical Examiner’s Office will release the identity of the decedent, along with the nature and cause of death, in the coming days.

The GO Number associated with this case is 21-148332.  

Leneal Frazier’s sister, Cheryl Frazier, told WCCO her brother was a “very good person” who “would help you if you needed help … He’ll give you the shirt off his back if he had to,” she said. “He was always that type of person.” Clemons described Leneal on the GoFundMe page as “a family oriented person with a good heart, the biggest heart a person could ever have.”

She added: “He would help anyone, anytime no matter the circumstances. He was the father of 6 children and 1 grandchild. He was the oldest of 5 siblings, so of course he was their protector. He loved his family and friends. He loves to cook and bbq, and to just spend as much time with his family as possible. He was one of the sweetest people you will ever meet.”

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