The Hennepin County medical examiner has released the official cause of the death of George Floyd, who died in custody last week in Minneapolis while being arrested. According to the medical examiner, the cause was "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression".
The medical examination has concluded that the manner of death is homicide. The examiner also noted that Floyd had significant conditions such as "hypertensive heart disease, fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use", according to local media.
NEWS: Hennepin County Medical Examiner releases updated autopsy report, declaring the death of #GeorgeFloyd a homicide. pic.twitter.com/JqoBwjBqnv
— Ryan Faircloth (@RyanFaircloth) June 1, 2020
The official autopsy results followed an independent examination ordered by Floyd's family that also ruled that his death was an asphyxia-related homicide.
Earlier, a preliminary autopsy was cited by the Hennepin County attorney's office, that, on the contrary, claimed there were "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation".
George Floyd died on 25 May after being pinned to the ground by one of the police officers conducting his arrest. One of the officers pressed his knee against Floyd's neck, despite the victim not resisting and repeating that he could not breathe. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder, and his three colleagues were fired.
The incident has resulted in an ongoing wave of protests and demonstrations against police brutality across the United States that resulted in violence and mayhem in several cities.
