Former Minneapolis cop Tou Thao reunited with children after serving nearly 5 years in prison over George Floyd’s death

A fundraiser launched to help support Thao and his family as he rebuilds his life stated, "After Tou’s release from his political imprisonment, many have asked for a way to donate and show their support. This GiveSendGo was created in response to those heartfelt offers of support. Tou also is thankful for all the letters of encouragement both from home and abroad."

"What the enemy meant for evil, God used it for good. Providence sent him to a hospital prison. This allowed him to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with many terminally ill inmate patients. God healed many and many entered into eternity to meet their Savior. After 3+ years of having his faith refined and tested, he was reunited with his wife and three children. In closing, we are truly overwhelmed with gratitude for the outpouring of love, encouragement, and generosity. God bless you all!"

Photos shared to the fundraiser showed Thao on Tuesday embracing his children as they ran to him at a playground.

Thao told Alpha News in May about his children, "I’ve missed birthdays, Christmas. I don’t even know how tall they are anymore. Difficult to miss parts of childhood. Never get it back. All because people want to get promotions, publicity and make money." He said he did not have his children visit him in prison because " I just don’t want them, having that image … that type of trauma."

Thao had been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for his role in the death of George Floyd, which sparked massive riots across the country. Thao testified during the trial that he was a "human traffic cone," and was holding back pedestrians who gathered at the scene as then-officer Derek Chauvin, subdued Floyd. The cashiers at a local store had called police on Floyd after claiming he tried to pass a counterfeit bill.

Thao had been found guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. His state sentence ran concurrently with the three and a half year sentence handed down in the federal case against him.