George Floyd's death ruled a homicide by medical examiner

Authorities in Minnesota said Monday that George Floyd's death was a homicide that occurred while he was being restrained by law enforcement.

The Hennepin County medical examiner said an autopsy listed Floyd's cause of death on May 25 as a "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression." A spokeswoman declined to comment to a request for clarification.

Full coverage of George Floyd’s death and protests around the country

The autopsy listed other "significant" conditions, including hypertensive heart disease, fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use, the medical examiner said in a news release.

Pathologists hired by Floyd's family said Monday that they had concluded that he died after blood and air flow was cut off to his brain, causing him to die by mechanical asphyxia.

That autopsy, conducted by Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner of New York City, found that Floyd had no underlying medical problems that caused or contributed to his death.

"He was in good health," Baden said.

Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was fired and arrested in Floyd's death. Video showing Chauvin pressing his knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes set off waves of sometimes violent protests that have rocked cities across the country.