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MSU football's Mel Tucker on George Floyd: 'We must not turn away'

Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker tweeted his reaction to the death of George Floyd on Friday night, with a statement that he hopes to “evoke real change.” Tucker’s statement began: “As a football coach, I am acutely aware that my words can be taken out of context or distorted. I err on the side of caution always mindful no to alienate one side of the fan base or the other. However, we live in uncertain and polarizing times that demand leadership and voices of hope. “It’s been almost impossible for me to articulate my feelings about what happened to George Floyd. The echo of his cry for his mother and the knee on his neck will forever be burned into our collective hearts. No matter what your race is, where you pray, who you choose to live your life with or where you cast your vote, what we all witnessed – again – was horrific and heartbreaking to watch. But we must not turn away.” Floyd was killed in an incident with a Minneapolis police officer Monday . His neck was crushed by the officer's knee while he screamed that he couldn't breathe. Video of the incident went viral and has since sparked protests around the country, including in Detroit . The officer involved, Derek Chauvin, was fired and charged with third-degree murder on Friday. Tucker’s Tweet continued: “It’s equally important to say that I have many police officer friends – men and women who wear the blue uniform and have kept me, my family, and my teams safe for over three decades. I am grateful for their service, sacrifice and their dedication to lay down their lives for strangers.” He concluded: “As a people, let us make our purpose and direction to stop the violence and come together to make our country a better and safer place for our children. “Stay strong Minneapolis. God bless. “#RelentlessChange”