Crime & Justice

Bodycam Footage Shows California Cops Pinning Man to Ground for Five Minutes Before He Died

ALL TOO FAMILIAR

Mario Gonzalez’s brother has accused Alameda County police of killing his brother in the same way that George Floyd was murdered.

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Alameda Police

Police in California’s Alameda County released horrifying bodycam footage on Tuesday that shows multiple officers pinning a 26-year-old dad to the ground for five minutes shortly before he died in a hospital. The footage from April 19 shows officers confronting Mario Gonzalez in a park before they pin him face-down in the dirt. Officers can be seen placing pressure on Gonzalez’s back and legs before he becomes unresponsive. Alameda police said the officers tried to detain Gonzalez after responding to separate reports of a man under the influence and a possible theft. Then, according to the cops, a “physical altercation ensued” and Gonzalez suffered a “medical emergency.” Gonzalez’s brother Gerardo said at a press conference on Tuesday: “The police killed my brother in the same manner that they killed George Floyd.” Three cops have been placed on administrative leave. Gonzalez is survived by his 4-year-old son.

Read it at The New York Times

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