George Floyd, the Minnesota man whose death in police custody sparked violent protests across the nation, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, his autopsy report shows.
Floyd, 46, died from asphyxia when a 200 lb. cop kneeled on his neck and chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.
The medical examiner said Floyd had likely recovered from the virus by the time of his death. The report indicated Floyd tested positive for the infectious disease on April 3, making it likely that he recovered by the time he died.
But the virus may have damaged his lungs, causing shortness of breath on exertion which would have caused him to fatigue easily.
The 20-page report also shows Floyd had traces of fentanyl and methamphetamines in his system when he died.
The report lists Floyd’s cause of death as a heart attack complicated by law enforcement restraint and neck compression, which conflicts with a secondary autopsy paid for by the family that shows Floyd died of “asphyxiation from sustained pressure.”
Derek Chauvin, 44, was fired from the Minneapolis police force along with three other officers who were at the scene and did nothing to save Floyd. All four officers are charged with his murder.
