ANTIOCH, Calif. (KRON) - The search for answers is underway in Antioch after a man who was tased while in police custody later died.
The news comes on the heels of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a navy veteran, who claims Antioch police murdered him by putting a knee to his neck.
The incident remains under investigation, but after the two incidents, Antioch's mayor says he wants to push forward with police reforms sooner than later.
Just after midnight Wednesday morning, Antioch police received two calls -- One from a man rambling incoherently, the second from a Lyft driver who says the man was trying to steal his phone.
"When officers arrived, the man appeared to be paranoid, yelling that they were not police officers," Chief Tammany Brooks said.
Chief Tammany Brooks says when his officers got to the scene, they tried to de-escalate the situation but the man ran into traffic on Lone Tree Way, nearly being hit by cars, and tried to steal a car.
Officers finally caught up with him, after the man slipped, and fell to the ground.
"According to officers the man exhibited extraordinary strength and they were unable to gain control of his arms,” Brooks said.
That's when a third officer used a taser to get him into handcuffs.
"He appeared to lose consciousness and the officers recognized this as a medical emergency,” Brooks said.
Brooks says officers also used two doses of Narcan on the man. Medics took him to the hospital where he later died.
"I want the residents of Antioch to know that they will be provided answers," Mayor Lamar Thorpe said.
The department does not have body cameras but it's one of many reform ideas being proposed by Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe after the death of 30-year-old Navy Veteran Angelo Quinto.
Lawyers for Quinto claimed officers murdered him when they put a knee on his neck for five minutes.
Lawyers say Quinto was experiencing a mental health crisis.
The incident happened back in December but only came to light recently with the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit.
Investigators say it's too early to know if the man in Wednesday's death was also experiencing a mental episode but city leaders are promising to investigate every angle in both cases.
"Furthermore, in the event the investigation concludes that there was any negligence, we will seek the fullest effort to ensure that there is accountability,” Thorpe said.
The Contra County District Attorney's office is now handling the case.
The three officers involved, are now on paid administrative leave.
This coming Friday, Mayor Thorpe will hold a special meeting with a council member to discuss implementing those proposed reforms now.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3qRN68E
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