An autopsy released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner on Wednesday showed that George Floyd officially died from a heart attack. The autopsy report also indicated he was positive for the coronavirus based on a postmortem nasal swab collected after his death.
Floyd died on Memorial Day after the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held a knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, likely causing his death. Chauvin has been charged with homicide, and three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting a homicide.
The County Medical Examiner said on Monday that the manner of death was a homicide.
The government-released autopsy differs with an autopsy conducted by the Floyd family, which states Floyd died of "asphyxiation from sustained pressure." The medical examiner, Dr. Andrew Baker, concluded in Wednesday's report that Floyd died of a heart attack complicated by restrained and compressed by the neck.
The autopsy showed that Floyd had tested positive for the coronavirus on April 3. The report said that the autopsy result likely reflects an asymptomatic but persistent infection from the virus.
The autopsy also showed that Floyd had a number of blunt-force injuries, including to the shoulders, hands, elbows and legs. The report indicated a number of contusions to the head and neck.
While the autopsy indicated several blunt-force injuries, the examiner said that there were no life-threatening injuries identified.
The report noted that Floyd had hypertensive heart disease.
It also indicated that Floyd had fentanyl and methamphetamines in his system at the time of death.
