Paramedic witness says he ‘didn’t see breathing or movement’ from Floyd

A paramedic who arrived on the scene of George Floyd’s arrest testified Thursday that he did not observe any “breathing or movement” from Floyd’s body at a distance.

During questioning by the prosecution, Seth Zachary Bravinder, a paramedic with the Hennepin County EMS said, “I was standing a little ways away … but from what I could see, where I was at, I didn’t see any breathing or movement or anything like that.”

When asked by prosecutor Erin Eldridge if Floyd appeared to be “unresponsive to you at that point in time,” Bravinder answered “from what I could tell just standing at a distance, yes.”

Bravinder, who was the second witness called to the stand during day four of former officer Derek Chauvin’s trial, added that Floyd was in handcuffs, and he observed “multiple officers on top of the patient” when he arrived on the scene in an ambulance.

The witness also said that his paramedic colleague determined that Floyd was in cardiac arrest at the scene, meaning he was not responsive, not breathing and did not have a pulse.

When asked by the prosecution if that essentially meant Floyd’s heart had stopped, Bravinder answered “yes.”

Bystander footage released in late May showed Floyd on the ground behind a police car. Chauvin could be seen placing his knee on Floyd’s neck where he held it for several minutes until Floyd became unresponsive. While still conscious, Floyd could be heard telling the officers that he couldn’t breathe and calling for his deceased mother. 

Floyd, 46, was later pronounced dead at the hospital. 

Later in Bravinder’s testimony, the prosecution showed video of Floyd being transferred to a stretcher by officers and paramedics. In the footage, Bravinder is seen holding Floyd’s head as he’s being moved.

Bravinder said he had his hands on Floyd’s head because he was “just trying to keep it from slamming down on the pavement as we moved him over.”

The paramedic added that Floyd appeared “limp” and was “unresponsive.”

He went on to describe the medical treatment Floyd received once in the ambulance. About three blocks away from the scene, Bravinder said Floyd had flatlined as the paramedics were trying to revive him.

Bravinder said the first responders administered adrenaline, which is typically used in patients whose hearts have stopped, to Floyd to try to resuscitate him. 

Before the trial stopped for recess, however, the witness said that Floyd had not regained a pulse at any point.

Chauvin has been charged with three criminal counts in connection to Floyd’s death — second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.