Two police officers in Canton, Ohio, were indicted on charges of reckless homicide in the death of Frank Tyson, a Black man who was restrained by police in April, Stark County prosecutor Kyle L. Stone said on Saturday.
Officers Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge were booked into the Stark County Jail on Friday, according to CNN affiliate WOIO.
Stone said the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation completed its investigation of Tyson’s death and delivered the results to the prosecutor’s office, and Stone then presented the case to a grand jury last week.
“No one is above the law, and no one is so far below it that they don’t deserve its protections,” Stone said.
Reckless homicide is a third-degree felony and is punishable by up to 36 months in prison.
The arrests come more than six months after Tyson, 53, died following an April 18 police encounter during which he repeatedly pleaded, “I can’t breathe.”
Jay McDonald, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, the union that represents Canton Police, responded to the arrests in a comment to CNN.
“We urge people to give these officers the same rights as the people they arrest. They are innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “Even more so, we cannot second guess their actions – the United States Supreme Court requires that cases involving police don’t rely on 20/20 hindsight but rather focus on what the officers saw and how they acted based on their training and rules of engagement.”
Police body-camera footage shows the officers approaching Tyson, who shouted to call the sheriff and said “They’re trying to kill me.” Officers forced Tyson to the ground and put him in handcuffs, and an officer placed his knee on or near Tyson’s neck while he was on his stomach, according to bodycam video of the interaction.
“I can’t breathe,” Tyson said repeatedly.
“You’re fine,” one officer responded. “Shut the f**k up.”
Five minutes after he stopped speaking, the officers realized he was unresponsive, the video shows. The officers administered several doses of Narcan, the medication to reverse opioid overdoses, and administered CPR, the video shows. Tyson was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Watch how quickly the narrative changes.
Officers Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge were booked into the Stark County Jail on Friday, according to CNN affiliate WOIO.
Stone said the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation completed its investigation of Tyson’s death and delivered the results to the prosecutor’s office, and Stone then presented the case to a grand jury last week.
“No one is above the law, and no one is so far below it that they don’t deserve its protections,” Stone said.
Reckless homicide is a third-degree felony and is punishable by up to 36 months in prison.
The arrests come more than six months after Tyson, 53, died following an April 18 police encounter during which he repeatedly pleaded, “I can’t breathe.”
Jay McDonald, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, the union that represents Canton Police, responded to the arrests in a comment to CNN.
“We urge people to give these officers the same rights as the people they arrest. They are innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “Even more so, we cannot second guess their actions – the United States Supreme Court requires that cases involving police don’t rely on 20/20 hindsight but rather focus on what the officers saw and how they acted based on their training and rules of engagement.”
Police body-camera footage shows the officers approaching Tyson, who shouted to call the sheriff and said “They’re trying to kill me.” Officers forced Tyson to the ground and put him in handcuffs, and an officer placed his knee on or near Tyson’s neck while he was on his stomach, according to bodycam video of the interaction.
“I can’t breathe,” Tyson said repeatedly.
“You’re fine,” one officer responded. “Shut the f**k up.”
Five minutes after he stopped speaking, the officers realized he was unresponsive, the video shows. The officers administered several doses of Narcan, the medication to reverse opioid overdoses, and administered CPR, the video shows. Tyson was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Watch how quickly the narrative changes.
