Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who used his knee to pin an unarmed black man to his death, has been arrested, according to John Harrington, the city’s Public Safety Commissioner.

Chauvin was arrested on Friday and taken int custody by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The former police officer was filmed pining George Floyd on the ground using his knee until he lost his consciousness. Other officers also used their weights on other parts of his body to keep him still.

Floyd's death has received wide condemnation across the U.S. and the rest of the world, with ever-growing calls for police accountability.

The agonizing death of the 46-year-old man has since gone viral on social media, sparking protests across Minneapolis as thousands took to the streets to demand justice.

The protests have escalated into violence, with various businesses looted and sections of a police precinct set on fire.