A transcript of the 911 call made Monday night during George Floyd’s arrest has been released by the City of Minneapolis. According to the transcript, the caller told the dispatcher there was a “tall guy” who was “awfully drunk and he’s not in control of himself.”
Floyd, 46, died after a police officer kept his knee on his neck for several minutes while he cried out that he couldn’t breathe, an incident caught on camera that has sparked nationwide protests. Floyd was being taken into custody on suspicion of forgery.
What follows below is a full transcript of the 911 call:
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…ah he 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…6½, 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 [redacted].Operator: Alright [redacted], a phone number for you?
Caller: [redacted].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.
Floyd’s family has called for the officers involved to be charged, saying his death was “clearly murder.”
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office has not yet released a cause of manner of death for Floyd. The determination could take at least three weeks, a spokeswoman told CBS News.
Four officers who responded have been fired, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced Tuesday. The former officers have been identified as Derek Chavin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he had relayed the call for charges in Floyd’s death to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. Freeman had earlier said he would review the findings of an investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension before making a charging decision, promising an “expedited” process.
“We watched for five whole excruciating minutes as a white officer firmly pressed his knee into the neck of an unarmed handcuffed black man,” Frey said Wednesday. “I saw no threat. I saw nothing that would signal this kind of force was necessary.”
Frey did not specify which charge he is calling for. He said that for the past 36 hours he had been grappling with the question, “Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?” He said he couldn’t answer the question, and because of that, he felt the need to speak out and call for justice.
“If I had done it, or if you had done it, we would be behind bars right now,” Frey said.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the state’s National Guard on Thursday “to help protect Minnesotans’ safety and maintain peace” amid protests in the area.
The executive order also activates the State Emergency Operations Center.
“Unfortunately, some individuals have engaged in unlawful and dangerous activity, including arson, rioting, looting, and damaging public and private property,” the executive order said. “These activities threaten the safety of lawful demonstrators and other Minnesotans, and both first responders and demonstrators have already been injured. Many businesses, including businesses owned by people of color, have suffered damage as a result of this unlawful activity.”
Erin Donaghue, Jeff Pegues and Li Cohen contributed to this report.
