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Minneapolis Police Department releases transcript of 911 call that led to George Floyd's death
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Minneapolis Police Department releases transcript of 911 call that led to George Floyd's death

It shouldn't have ended the way it did

The Minneapolis Police Department released the transcript of the call to police that resulted in Floyd George's death, revealing that it was a relatively routine call that resulted in the use of deadly force against an already handcuffed and restrained man.

Floyd was accused of attempting to pay for something at the Cup Foods deli with a counterfeit $20 bill. The deli owner said he instructed one of his employees to notify police, which he said was normal protocol in that situation. Floyd did not flee the scene, and was sitting in his car when officers arrived.

The caller tells the police operator that Floyd bought some cigarettes with a fake $20, and that the employees noticed the bill was fake before Floyd left, according to the transcript.

"We tell them to give us their phone, put their (inaudible) thing back and everything and he was also drunk and everything and return to give us our cigarettes back and so he can, so he can go home but he doesn't want to do that, and he's sitting on his car cause he is awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself," the caller says to the operator, CNN reported.

The operator gets the details about Floyd's car and his physical description. The transcript notes a sigh from the operator after the caller says, "It's a black guy." The caller asks how the operator's day is going, to which the operator responds, "Not too bad," before getting the caller's name and phone number, and instructing him to call back if Floyd leaves before officers get there. The call ends.

Police arrived shortly after, removing Floyd from his car and handcuffing him without any apparent problems. There is still a gap in available footage of the incident, so it's unknown how an apparently uneventful arrest led to Floyd being held down on his stomach by three officers, with one of them driving his knee into Floyd's neck for more than seven minutes.

Floyd had no pulse and was unresponsive by the time first responders got to the scene. They attempted to revive him in the ambulance and at the hospital, but his condition never improved and he was pronounced dead.

Read the full 911 call transcript below, courtesy of CNN:

Operator: 911 what's the address of the emergency?

Caller: This is ah 3759 Chicago Ave.

Operator: How can I help you?

Caller: Um someone comes our store and give us fake bills and we realize it before he left the store, and we ran back outside, they was sitting on their car. We tell them to give us their phone, put their (inaudible) thing back and everything and he was also drunk and everything and return to give us our cigarettes back and so he can, so he can go home but he doesn't want to do that, and he's sitting on his car cause he is awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself.

Operator: Okay, what type of vehicle does he have?

Caller: And .... um he's got a vehicle that is ah ... one second let me see if I can see the license. The driver license is BRJ026.

Operator: Okay, what color is it?

Caller: It's a blue color. It's a blue van.

Operator: Blue van?

Caller: Yes, van.

Operator: Alright blue van, gotcha. Is it out front or is it on 38th St.?

Caller: Ah it's on 38th St.

Operator: On 38th St. So, this guy gave a counterfeit bill, has your cigarettes, and he's under the influence of something?

Caller: Something like that, yes. He is not acting right.

Operator: What's he look like, what race?

Caller: Um, he's a tall guy. He's like tall and bald, about like 6 ... 6 1/2, and she's not acting right so and she started to go, drive the car.

Operator: Okay so, female or a male?

Caller: Um...

Operator: Is it a girl or a boy?

Caller: (Talking to somebody else) — he's asking (inaudible) one second. Hello?

Operator: Is it a girl or a boy that did this?

Caller: It is a man.

Operator: Okay. Is he white, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian?

Caller: Something like that.

Operator: Which one? White, black, Native, Hispanic, Asian?

Caller: No, he's a black guy.

Operator: Alright (sigh).

Caller: How is your day going?

Operator: Not too bad.

Caller: Had a long day, huh?

Operator: What's your name?

Caller: My name is (deleted)

Operator: Alright, a phone number for you?

Caller: (Deleted)

Operator: Alright, I've got help on the way. If that vehicle or that person leaves before we get there, just give us a call back, otherwise we'll have squads out there shortly, okay?

Caller: No problem.

Operator: Thank you.

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