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Two fired Mpls. officers had past history of complaints

Derek Chauvin had been involved in previous shootings. Tou Thao was the subject of an excessive force lawsuit.

MINNEAPOLIS — Police released Wednesday the names of all four officers fired in connection with George Floyd’s death.

The four officers fired in the case are Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane.  Multiple sources have identified Chauvin as the man with his knee on George Floyd’s neck.

KARE 11 obtained complaint data showing Chauvin has been the subject of 13 complaints since 2003.  All of them were closed without discipline.

He was awarded the department’s Medal of Valor for his service in 2009.

KARE 11 archives show Chauvin has been involved in at least two officer involved shootings. The first was in 2006. Officers tracked Wayne Reyes who was the suspect in a stabbing. The department said Reyes was shot and killed after he refused to drop a sawed off shotgun on officers’ commands.

In 2008, Chauvin shot a man named Ira Latrell Toles. According to police, Chauvin was responding to a domestic violence call and struggled with Toles who allegedly grabbed at an officer’s gun. Toles survived.

Both shootings were found to be justified.

Tou Thao has been identified by KARE 11 sources as the other officer shown in the video. 

Thao has been the subject of six complaints. None have resulted in discipline, though one is still open.

Thao was the defendant in a lawsuit alleging excessive force. The city paid out $25,000 to the victim in the case.

KARE 11 searched records but could find no previous complaints or incidents involving J Alexander Keung or Thomas Lane.

Here are the officers' dates of hire: 

  • Chauvin: January 8, 2001 
  • Thao: February, 4 2008 
  • Kueng: December 18, 2017 
  • Lane: February 19, 2019

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