PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Washington Governor Jay Inslee addressed protests across the state in wake of George Floyd’s death during a press conference on Wednesday.
He opened with remarks about the news that the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a black man in police custody in Tacoma.
“I know finding out the full circumstances of that event is a top priority for her [the mayor] and for me,” Inslee said.
He also responded to reports of violence from state police during protests.
“We have to have high level of standards for our state patrol,” he said. He said he will be looking into the reports. He also said that people must remember that National Guard members are just like us, and are citizens, neighbors and friends. He praised their assistance for the COVID-19 response, like their work in food banks.
He also addressed the state’s COVID-19 response, saying some counties are now ready to move to Phase 3. But he cautioned that contact tracing and testing still needed more work done.
“We are so far out of the woods, we need to be increasing our efforts, not decreasing our efforts, but using new strategies to fight these efforts,” he said.
