Ohio police released a video showing a Black man who died after repeatedly telling officers “I can’t breathe” as they pinned him to the floor and handcuffed him in a bar.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
In the footage from a body camera, shared by the Canton Police Department on Thursday, the officers are seen apprehending Frank Tyson, 53, who was suspected of fleeing the scene of a single-car accident on April 18.
The video, which is over 36 minutes long, starts with a patrol officer arriving at a crash site where a car had struck an electrical pole.
A bystander informs the officer that the driver had run into a nearby tavern.
The police then enter the tavern and find Tyson standing at the bar.
A struggle ensues as officers attempt to arrest Tyson.
He shouts “They are trying to kill me” and “Call the sheriff.”
After a scuffle, Tyson is forced to the ground and handcuffed, with one officer placing a knee on his back near his neck for about 30 seconds.
Tyson is heard saying, “I can’t breathe.
I can’t… get off my neck,” while an officer instructs him to “Calm down” and “You’re fine.”
The video then shows Tyson lying face down on the floor for approximately six minutes while officers speak with other bar patrons.
When the officers finally check on Tyson, he appears unresponsive.
They question whether he is breathing and if he has a pulse.
After about eight minutes, they remove his handcuffs and begin CPR. Paramedics arrive shortly afterward and transport Tyson to a hospital, but he does not survive.
The incident is under investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (OCI), while the officers involved, Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch, have been placed on administrative leave.
Calls to the OCI for more information went unanswered.
This tragic event has reignited discussions about police brutality and the echoes of past incidents like George Floyd’s death.
The cause of Tyson’s death has not yet been determined, and further information is expected following the investigation.
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