Mario Gonzalez, 26, stopped breathing after the April 19 scuffle with police at a park in Alameda. Gonzalez seems dazed and struggles to answer questions. Aside from a vague news release from the San Diego Police Department after Angel Zapata Hernandez died, few people knew the circumstances of his death. Gonzalez, who weighed about pounds, grunts and shouts as he lays face down on some wood chips while the officers restrain him.
One officer puts an elbow on his neck and a knee on his shoulder. No weight The officers roll Gonzalez over and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Gonzalez left a 4-year-old son and also was the main caretaker of his year-old brother, who has autism, his family said.
An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of his death, but at a news conference Tuesday, family members blamed the police, saying officers escalated what should have been a minor, peaceful encounter with the unarmed man. The three officers involved in the arrest have been placed on paid leave during the investigation. Latinos too easily forget our history.
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. De Los. Times Everywhere. For Subscribers. All Sections. LA Times Studios. Live Stream. Times Store. About Us. Special Supplements. In this image taken from Alameda Police Department body camera video, police officers attempt to take year-old Mario Gonzalez into custody on April 19 in Alameda.
The video goes on to show officers pinning Gonzalez to the ground during the arrest that ended in his death. Share via Close extra sharing options. A police statement said Gonzalez had a medical emergency after officers tried to handcuff him. California Column: What will make people care about police shootings of Latinos? More to Read. LAPD releases video of officer fatally shooting year-old from unmarked police car. Investigation underway after video shows LAPD officer punch handcuffed man.
