A transcript of the 911 call that ultimately led Minneapolis police to arrest George Floyd before he died in their custody shows that the caller complained of him acting “awfully drunk” but made no mention of any aggressive behavior. According to the transcript, released by the Minneapolis Police Department on Thursday, police were called after Floyd allegedly used “fake bills” to purchase cigarettes. “He’s sitting on his car ’cause he is awfully drunk and he’s not in control of himself,” the 911 caller is quoted as saying.
After the dispatcher asked for clarification on whether Floyd was “under the influence,” the caller replied, “Something like that, yes. He is not acting right.” Police have said Floyd “physically resisted” officers as they tried to take him into custody, leading to him being restrained on the ground. He died the same night from what police dubbed a “medical incident,” though video taken by bystanders showed a police officer kneeling on his neck for several minutes as he pleaded, “I can’t breathe.” Surveillance footage taken from a nearby restaurant appears to contradict the police account and shows Floyd cooperating with officers.
