A former co-worker of both Derek Chauvin’s and George Floyd’s said the two men knew each other and “bumped heads.” Chauvin and Floyd both worked security at a nightclub in Minneapolis. David Pinney, who worked with both men at the same nightclub, told CBS News that the two men weren’t always on the best terms.
“They bumped heads,” Pinney said. “How?” he was asked. “It has a lot to do with Derek being extremely aggressive within the club with some of the patrons, which was an issue,” Pinney said.
Chauvin was paid to sit outside the club in his squad car while he was off duty by the club’s owner Maya Santamaria. Santamaria had been paying Chauvin to work the “El Nuevo Rodeo” club for 17 years she said. Both Chauvin and Floyd worked at the club on Tuesday nights when the club hosted a weekly dance competition.
It has been known for some time that Chauvin and Floyd had been employed by the same nightclub but there was some question as to how familiar the two were with each other. Pinney’s comments make it clear the two men knew each other fairly well.
“Is there any doubt in your mind that Derek Chauvin knew George Floyd?” CBS News asked.
“No. He knew him,” Pinney responded.
“How well did he know him?”
“I would say pretty well,” Pinney replied.
The revelations suggest that there may have been a “personal history” motivation to the tragic events of May 25, where Chauvin killed Floyd while attempting to take him into custody for passing off counterfeit money at a local restaurant.