Handcuffed Black man told police, ‘I can’t breathe,’ before he died

Ohio authorities have released body camera footage of the arrest of a 53-year-old Black man who died after repeatedly telling police officers “I can’t breathe” as they pinned him to the ground and handcuffed him. 

The video of Frank Tyson’s arrest is reminiscent of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, who told Minneapolis police officers the same thing as he was choked to death. 

Canton Police Department identified Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch as the “two primary officers” who responded to a call on April 18 of a car that had struck a utility pole. The 36-minute video was captured by Schoenegge’s body camera.

The start of the video shows officers approaching the car that had struck the pole and a bystander informing them that the driver of the car had fled to a nearby bar at the American Veterans (AMVETS) post.

When police enter the bar, a woman asks them to, “Please get him out of here, now,” referring to Tyson.

“We’re going outside,” one of the officers said as they approached Tyson. 

Tyson refuses, saying, “You ain’t killing me. You ain’t killing me tonight.”

As the officers move to grab him, Tyson knocks over a barstool and demands they call the sheriff. 

The officers attempt to handcuff Tyson, and as a struggle ensues, an officer can be heard telling Tyson to “get on the f‑‑‑ing ground.”

Tyson begins to shout, “They’re trying to kill me.” He once again asks for someone to call the sheriff. 

Officers wrestle Tyson to the ground, and as he is handcuffed, one of the officers places his knee on Tyson’s upper body. 

At this point, Tyson begins to say, “I can’t breathe.”

An officer tells Tyson to calm down, but Tyson repeats he can’t breathe, and continues to repeat it.

At one point, his voice appears muffled, and he appears to struggle, telling the officer he can’t breathe. 

“I can’t breathe,” Tyson can be heard saying. “I can’t breathe. You’re on my neck. Get off my neck.”

The officer appears to have his knee on Tyson for no more than a minute. Tyson continues to tell officers he can’t breathe, even after the officer removes his knee. 

“You’re fine,” someone responds. “Shut the f‑‑‑ up.”

One of the officers tells the other to “pull him up” and place him “on his side or something.”

Soon after, Tyson stops moving and appears unresponsive. 

At the same time, an officer can be seen on the video looking through Tyson’s wallet and talking with bystanders as Tyson lays motionless on the ground. 

Tyson lays there for about five minutes. At one point during this time, an officer can be heard telling some of the bar’s patrons that he “always wanted to be in a bar fight.”

”I don’t know if this counts,” the officer adds. 

When one officer approaches to ask if Tyson has calmed down and is still breathing, the other checks him for a pulse. 

“Does he have a pulse?” one of the officers asks. The other responds he didn’t feel one. 

“Will you tell the medics to step it up?” the officer asks. “He’s not responsive. I don’t know if I can feel a pulse.”

Officers then begin chest compressions. 

CPR and several doses of Narcan were administered before Canton Fire Department medics arrived, according to a news release. Tyson was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:18 p.m.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is now conducting an independent investigation, according to NBC News. 

Schoenegge and Burch, who are assigned to the traffic bureau, are on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.