LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis elaborated with ESPN Sunday night on his statement regarding the death of George Floyd, saying he has already had conversations with Nevada attorney general Aaron Ford and Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo.
“I want to get together with players, coaches and community leaders to get the conversation going, to discuss how to go forward,” said Davis. “The solutions start here at the local level, with the attorney general, the sheriff and other community leaders to open up lines of communication. That’s the beginning.
“Like I said in my statement, not only do we have to tell people there’s something wrong, we have to come up with solutions. As Americans and human beings. I’m trying to be positive but truthful.”
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) June 1, 2020
Floyd, who was black, died after Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Chauvin was fired on Tuesday and charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers were also fired but have yet to be charged.
Davis has not shied away from commenting on social issues in the past. In September of 2017, at the height of players protesting police brutality by taking a knee during the nation anthem, Davis told ESPN he would no longer ask his players to not protest while in uniform. “The only think I can ask them to do is do it with class, Davis said at the time. “Do it with pride.”
Davis said he would continue to support Raiders players.
“If they have something to say, I’ll stand beside them,” Davis added Sunday night. “I won’t stand behind them; I’ll stand beside them. And if there’s something I don’t know, I’m happy to listen to them. We’ve got to find a solution.”
