Officers in Alameda, California, arrived April 19 to check out neighbors' reports that Mario Gonzalez was acting strangely in a park and appeared to be breaking the security tags off of alcohol bottles he had in two drugstore baskets. After graduating from Coliseum College Preparatory in Oakland, Gonzalez had plannedto go toAlameda College. , but the video shows Gonzalez stopped breathing on site and one officer declaring no pulse as officers began CPR. David DeBolt spent more than a decade reporting on the East Bay, with a focus on Oakland City Hall and the Oakland Police Department, for the Bay Area News Group and The Oaklandside before transitioning to become an editor at the Bay Area News Group overseeing breaking news for The Mercury News and East Bay Times in August 2022. Examiners also detected ethanol in Gonzalezs system and found signs of alcoholism and obesity, including an enlarged and dilated heart and an enlarged liver with severe fatty change. Separately, the Police Department is conducting an internal affairs probe into the altercation, and the district attorney is reviewing the case to determine whether to file criminal charges. "The medical emergency that they're talking about was induced by three officers on his back. On April 19, 2021, Mario Gonzalez, an unarmed 26-year-old Latino man, died while under police custody by the Alameda, California Police Department. [2] [3] [4] In their initial report of the incident, the department reported that Gonzalez died after a "scuffle" and "physical altercation" resulting in a "medical emergency." "Once they're controlling him, as we learned from the Floyd trial with all those medical experts, this position or compression is deadly," said Geoffrey Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina and an expert on police use of force. The cause of Gonzalezs death was the toxic effects of The case has drawn national attention, with comparisons to the death of George Floyd, particularly for the scant information police initially released in saying Gonzalez died of a medical issue during a scuffle with officers. Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. Heres how. The officers roll Gonzalez over and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. S.F. Gonzalez's mother, who lost another son two years ago, turned 45 the day after Mario died, his brother said. The death is under investigation by the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, the district attorney's office and a former San Francisco city attorney hired by Alameda to lead an independent probe. Omalu wrote in part that Gonzalezs brain injury, caused by the asphyxiation, far exceeds and supersedes the toxicity caused by methamphetamine in his bloodstream as a cause of death. Crime and Public Safety | Crime and Public Safety | The stress of the altercation and restraint combined with prone positioning in the setting of morbid obesity and recent methamphetamine (use) placed further strain on Mr. Gonzalezs heart, the report says. Mario Gonzalez, 26, died after Alameda police officers restrained him on his stomach for five minutes in a case that had echoes of the murder of George Floyd. If they had rolled him on his side when the first officer said to, my sons father might still be here.. Photo: Lisa Fernandez. Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I had a good reason not to tell my friend I was moving, Warriors 3 Things: Steve Kerr entered playoff mode before Golden State's win over Portland. Sherwin is preparing a federal civil rights lawsuit. ""Video only tells part of the story, so we need the entire investigation to understand whether or not the actions were legal, consistent with training and within policy.". It is shameful that District Attorney Nancy OMalley did not have the courage to bring criminal charges for this homicide. Chief forensic pathologist, Vivian Snyder, cites other significant contributing factors to Gonzalez's death, including the physiologic stress of the restraint by police during the incident as well as alcoholism and morbid obesity. No officers were charged. Parking enforcement officer Charlie Clemmens, who the city also determined was involved in the death, "is not being scheduled for work," Henry said. "We don't even know the cause of death right now," he said. He is a graduate of Bowie State University in Maryland with a BS degree in communications. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. The next day, Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter for pinning Floyd to the pavement with his knee on the Black man's neck in a case that touched off a national reckoning over racism and police brutality. , released Wednesday, said that Gonzalez died on April 19, 2021, from restraint asphyxiation, according to forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu. In their initial public statements, Alameda police described Gonzalezs death as a medical emergency. Grieving family members invoked George Floyd, the Minneapolis man whose murder by a former police officer set off a national reckoning over police violence against people of color. Crime and Public Safety | Alameda is 15 miles outside San Francisco. ALAMEDA The death of Mario Gonzalez, the 26-year-old man who died just over a year ago in Alameda police custody, was caused by restraint asphyxiation, The police killed my brother, in the same manner they killed George Floyd, his brother Gerardo Gonzalez told reporters Tuesday. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. That was their fatal mistake, experts said. Related Articles Its a video that has drawn comparison to that of the George Floyd killing. The officers determine that he is resisting, then push him to the ground, according to the video. Alameda County prosecutors cited the coroners autopsy in their report earlier this month when they declined to find the officers criminally liable. 12:22 PM EDT, Mon April 11, 2022. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. He wanted to be able to provide for his 4-year-old son, Mario Jr., whom he shared parenting duties with his ex-girlfriend in Fremont. She's says she's hopeful the Alameda County District Attorney's office "will do their job and prosecute the officers for the homicide that they committed, to hold those officers accountable in criminal court in Alameda County. At least two officers knelt on him until he stopped breathing and lost his pulse. Im concerned that the sheriff-coroner is trying to protect the Alameda police, Haddad said, arguing that methamphetamine was a false cause of death because the amount in Gonzalezs system 907 nanograms per milliliter of blood was far too low to cause someone to suddenly drop dead.. Gonzalez, 26, died after Alameda Police Department officers pinned him to the ground face-down and restrained him for several minutes on April 19, 2021. His first newspaper job was as a Washington Post paperboy. That autopsy was commissioned by civil rights law firm Haddad and Sherwin on behalf of Gonzalezs son Mario Gonzalez-Cortez and family members in a civil suit against the city, the officers and the police departments former chief. He kept looking butnever had any luck. Its been a long year, just the way weve been treated by the legal process., My brother was a human, he added. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up, High school basketball: Southern California and Northern California Regional results and updated pairings, Opinion: How California came to treat UC Berkeley students noise as a dire environmental threat, Opinion: California gave up on mandating COVID vaccines for schoolchildren. That's a huge boost for the Dubs, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Crime and Public Safety | The independent autopsy, which was requested by the familys attorneys, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, countered the report from the Alameda County coroners office last year, which had called the death a homicide but listed the principal cause as toxic effects of methamphetamine. The report included under other significant conditions the physiological stress of altercation and restraint, as well as obesity and alcoholism.. He died after three officers and a civilian parking enforcement employee pinned him face down on the ground for more than five minutes, according to body camera video released this week by police amid three separate investigations. Since joining The Times in 2020, Seidman has served on the breaking news and utility desks, wheres she written about Indigenous communities, wildfires threatening giant trees and fishing the L.A. River. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. "There was no reason to detain him, let alone kill him. "We need justice because we lost someone who was indispensable to our family," Gonzalez's mother told CBS stationKPIX-TVlast week. We are struggling with these daily routines while carrying the burden of grief.. Our family needs answers: Relatives call for swift transparency in mans death during arrest by Alameda police / CBS/AP. Walking around with that level of meth, he wouldnt have dropped dead at that moment but for the force by police, Haddad said. An officer says, I forgive you.. The death of Mario Gonzalez should be a wake-up call for the city of Alameda, said LaDoris Cordell, a retired judge and former independent police auditor for the city of San Jose. Then officers can be seen putting Gonzalezs hands behind his back and pinning him facedown. Autopsy finds Mario Gonzalez died from meth, police restraint in Alameda struggle By Lisa Fernandez and Evan Sernoffsky Published December 10, 2021 Updated And while none of his family members knows exactly what Gonzalez was doing in Alameda that day, they said he often traveled therefor peace and quiet. Wife of popular Wild 94.9 radio host JV says new information suggests he will not be coming back, Bay Area federal judge orders extradition of woman suspected of killing MSU student in hit-and-run, San Jose: Home raided as part of explosives and narcotics investigation, Police body camera video released a week after his death, filed a legal claim against the city of Alameda, have the autopsy reviewed by outside agencies, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life. Sherwin argues that is "a pretty low level of methamphetamine" that's comparable to or even lower than concentrations of the drug often seen in 'recreational' use of the drug. The release of the autopsy report is the latest development in the controversial death, which almost immediately drew protests and comparisons to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. But he delayed those dreams to helphis mom with the bills and care for his younger brother who suffers from severe autism. Omalu adds that methamphetamine levels in Gonzalezs blood fell within recreational rather than life-threatening ranges and that alcohol levels were extremely low and did not contribute to his death.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A person holds up a Justice 4 Mario sign while listening in to an April 27 news conference hosted by Mario Gonzalezs family and supporters outside the Alameda Police Department. Therefore the cause of death is the toxic effects of methamphetamine, with the physiologic stress of altercation and restraint, morbid obesity, and alcoholism contributing to the process of dying.. He began to eat more and gain weight. The last delay was on Tuesday. The officers approach to Mr Gonzalez detention and arrest and their use of force appeared reasonable under the circumstances, the report says. Mario Gonzalez Arenales, 26, died last year after an encounter with police officers in Alameda, California. The family of an unarmed 26-year-old San Francisco Bay Area man is struggling to understand how a minor confrontation with police led to his death on the same day a jury in Minneapolis began considering similar circumstances in the George Floyd case. The officers who restrained Gonzalez, James Fisher, Cameron Leahy, and Eric McKinley, remain on administrative leave while the investigation continues, city of Alameda spokeswoman Sarah Henry told KTVU. Alameda police approached Gonzalez in a small park in the 800 block of Oak Street near Park Street and Otis Drive after residents called 911, describing a man talking strangely and smashing a bottle on a tree stump. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. At least one officer kneeled on his back for nearly five minutes until Gonzalez became unresponsive. All Rights Reserved. The video shows that one officer put an elbow on his neck and a knee on his shoulder, while another appeared to put a knee on his back and leave it there for about four minutes as Gonzalez gasped for air, saying, "I didn't do nothing, OK? A statement issued Friday by Alameda police Chief Nishant Joshi says the officers will remain on leave until the investigation is over. I agree with the sheriff-coroner that it is a homicide. The two autopsy reports do agree that the manner of Gonzalezs death was homicide, or death at the hands of another person, a legal classification that does not necessarily lead to a murder or manslaughter charge. That's a huge boost for the Dubs, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The second caller said Gonzalez was lingering in Scout Park at the corner of Oak and Powell streets, with what the caller suspected were stolen bottles of alcohol. The city also acknowledged that there are simultaneous investigations into Gonzalez's death by the Alameda County District Attorneys Office, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office and the citys internal investigation remain active and open. First published on April 29, 2021 / 8:35 AM. The stress of the altercation and restraint combined with prone positioning in the setting of morbid obesity and recent use of methamphetamine placed further strain on Mr. Gonzalez Arenales heart. Heres how. Crime and Public Safety | Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. The independent autopsy found that, if not for his asphyxial brain injury, Mr. Gonzalez, more likely than not, would not have died. It noted that most people who take methamphetamine do not die of it and that the meth in this case was not the underlying cause of death. As the coroners report found, this autopsy also confirmed that the manner of death was homicide. Lila Seidman is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times yearlong initiative exploring various facets of mental health. Its peer-reviewed. Police Chief Nishant Joshi extended condolences to Gonzalezs family in a statement. Blood tests were positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, according to the autopsy report. California man who died in custody was restrained on his stomach for 5 minutes and lost consciousness, police body camera shows. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "Officers have been instructed to not keep handcuffed subjects prone (face-down) and to instead roll them onto their sides for going on 30 years," said Seth Stoughton, who teaches criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. State storms arent letting up. Alameda police pinned down Mario Gonzalez. The lawsuit cites a report released last week by the Alameda county coroners bureau that said the 19 April death of Mario Gonzalez was a homicide. Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. They did a tremendous job under difficult circumstances.". ", Alameda police officers try to revive Mario Gonzalez of Oakland after police restrained him, prone on the ground. On Tuesday, the six-month anniversary of Gonzalezs death by police, family members and other loved ones gathered with candles for a vigil at the Alameda park where IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? Mario Gonzalez Died Of 'Restraint Asphyxiation' By Police, New Autopsy Finds An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino fathers family had declared: Police in I think you just had too much to drink today, OK? City officials stated they are "committed to full transparency and accountability in the aftermath of Mr. Gonzalez's death." According to the toxicology report released, Gonzalez had .9 milligrams of meth per liter in his system. The incident is under investigation by the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, the Alameda County district attorney's office, and Louise Renne, a former San Francisco city attorney, who was hired to conduct an independent investigation. One officer seems to put an elbow on his neck and a knee on his shoulder. In an earlier interview, Wilkinson said that physical struggle was because Gonzalez resisted the officers, who she said never intended for the struggle to progress the way it did. But theyve hit a snag, Randall Emmett, Ambyr Childers settle domestic violence restraining order dispute, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, A $150,000 executive protection dog? Feds drop felony gun case days after defense argued SFPD illegally arrested, searched defendant Soon after a second officer, James Fisher, confirmed with a local drugstore that the alcohol Gonzalez had with him hadnt been stolen from there, both officers attempted to detain Gonzalez before pinning him to the ground and handcuffing his hands behind his back, while a third officer, Cameron Leahy, joined them. In this image taken from Alameda Police Department body camera video, Alameda Police Department officers pin 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez to the ground during an arrest, April 19, in Alameda, Calif. Gonzalez stopped breathing during the arrest and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The other refuses, saying he doesn't want to lose his grip. It is available at https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-mario-gonzalez-and-his-only-son. The new information being released adds to that pain.. An Alameda police press release on the death of Mario Gonzalez. The Bay Area was facing its own reckoning with police accountability that only intensified after police released the body-worn camera footage of Gonzalez's desperate final moments. He adored our son and was a good father. And while the city had vowed transparency in the months after Gonzalez died, the latest update this week stated: "withholding potentially responsive material at this time remains necessary to avoid substantially interfering with the multiple investigations into the incident. Family in a statement autopsy report San Francisco Public statements, Alameda police described death. Pathologist Bennet Omalu 5 minutes and lost consciousness, police body camera.... Was later pronounced dead at a hospital the report included under other significant the!, saying he does n't want to lose his grip to Gonzalezs family in a statement issued Friday by police. 8:35 AM do you have information you want to share with HuffPost Gonzalez had.9 milligrams meth. 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