Still reeling from the effects of the tragic incident with George Floyd, former basketball star and sports analyst Shaquille O’Neal has revealed what he tells his sons to do when they find themselves in a tight situation with the cops.
The father of 5 opened up amid the continued nationwide protests against racism and police brutality in the United States due to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Officer Derek Chauvin.
He said that he tells them to try to diffuse the situation or show respect as the cops are out there to do their jobs. He says they should just comply.
I have to talk with them all the time. First of all, you have to try to diffuse the situation or show respect. If you have to understand that these people are also out here to do all their jobs. So you try to diffuse the situation. If it happens to get rough, don’t say anything, don’t do anything, just comply.
And then when all is said and done, you call me, and if stuff gets out of hand, then I will handle it. I will be the one to come around and act crazy. I don’t want you to act crazy while you’re out there by yourself.’ So I just try to tell them, just comply, just listen, but a lot of times that doesn’t work either.”
Regarding the death of Floyd, O’Neal said, “It was all the way wrong. Absolutely uncalled for. I’ve never seen that technique taught.”
Everybody’s upset. Everybody’s tired. We demand justice … they try to appease us by arresting one guy, but it was four officers out there, people are just sick and tired. When I watched the video, I was disgusted. I think you have your knee on the man’s neck for more than five minutes — it just didn’t make any sense. … You know better, you have to know better in certain situations.”
