Chauvin and three fellow officers at the scene were fired on Tuesday from the Minneapolis Police Department. The city identified the other officers as Thomas Lane,Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng.
Freeman said the investigation into Chauvin - who,if convicted,faces up to 25 years in prison on the murder charge - was ongoing and that he anticipated charges against the other officers. He said it was appropriate to charge"the most dangerous perpetrator"first.
Freeman highlighted the"extraordinary speed"in charging the case just four days after Floyd's death,but also defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner. He said his office needed time to put together evidence,and said he would not bring a case unless he had enough evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Protests in Minneapolis escalated in violence on Thursday,when demonstrators torched a police station that officers had abandoned.