I Can’t Breathe”: Black Man Dies After US Police Officers Pin Him Down, Kneel On Neck

Ohio police released video of a Black man, Frank Tyson, who died at a local hospital. He had repeatedly told officers “I can’t breathe” as they pinned him to the floor of a bar and handcuffed him. The incident evokes memories of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

The body camera video, released by the Canton Police Department, shows officers apprehending Tyson, 53, who was suspected of leaving the scene of a single-car accident on April 18. Details about the incident were not immediately confirmed by the department. The video begins with a patrol officer finding a car that had struck an electrical pole and a bystander telling him that the driver had fled into a nearby tavern.

Officers then enter the establishment, where they find Tyson standing at the bar. An altercation ensues as they attempt to grab his arms, and he repeatedly shouts “They are trying to kill me” and “Call the sheriff.” The officers wrestle Tyson to the ground and handcuff him.

One officer places a knee on his back near his neck for about 30 seconds while Tyson repeatedly says, “I can’t breathe. I can’t… get off my neck,” as an officer tells him to “Calm down” and “You’re fine” before standing up. Tyson is then seen lying motionless, face down on the floor for about six minutes, while officers speak with bar patrons.

They check on Tyson, who appears unresponsive, and then remove the cuffs to begin CPR. Paramedics arrive and take Tyson to a hospital, where he later died. The incident is reminiscent of George Floyd’s deadly encounter with Minneapolis police in 2020.

The video of Floyd’s killing sparked protests worldwide against police brutality and racism. In this case, the officers involved in the Tyson incident were identified as Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch and were placed on administrative leave. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident.

The official cause of death has not been determined.