The death of an unarmed black man while in US police custody has sparked mass protests.
Demonstrators clashed with police as they took to streets demanding justice for George Floyd and his family.
The 46-year-old died after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest on Monday.
In a video, filmed by a bystander that captured the incident, Floyd can be heard pleading with the officer “don’t kill me” and “I cannot breathe”.
Four police officers involved in the incident have since been fired, with the Minneapolis Mayor saying the decision was the “right call”.
In a press conference, Jacob Frey said Floyd “should not have died” and described his death as “completely and utterly messed up”.
“This man’s life matters, he matters,” he added.
My remarks delivered earlier this morning and video below. https://t.co/qC2IgWdm1T pic.twitter.com/XWXhSygaCY
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) May 26, 2020
Frey said the officer who was seen kneeling on Floyd “failed in the most basic, human sense”, as he apologised to the black community.
He said: “Being black in American should not be a death sentence.
“For five minutes we watched a white police officer press his knee into a black man’s neck. Five minutes.
“When you hear someone calling for help, you’re supposed to help.
“This officer failed in the most basic, human sense.”
He continued: “I believe what I saw, and what I saw was wrong on every level.
“To our black community, to the family: I’m so sorry.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said the department would conduct a full internal investigation into the incident.
The FBI also said it had launched an inquiry into not only Floyd’s death but for possible civil rights violations.
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