"There was no reason to detain him, let alone kill him. But he urged people to wait for the results of a full investigation. 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." In statements Wednesday, a Gonzalez lawyer and family member further decried police actions that led to his death. The officers released Gonzalez several minutes later and found him unresponsive. 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. , released Wednesday, said that Gonzalez died on April 19, 2021, from restraint asphyxiation, according to forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu. 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. And Mario's 5-year-old son, also named Mario, will hold them accountable in civil court in a federal civil rights lawsuit.". Mario Gonzalez, who died after being pinned to the ground by police officers in Alameda, California, was a father of a 4-year-old child. An altercation occurred, an officer was seen pinning a man for at least four minutes, and soon Mario Gonzalez was dead. Moreover, officers are trained to take particular care with those like Gonzalez who may be especially vulnerable because of their body weight, intoxication or other factors, said Ed Obayashi, a use-of-force consultant to law enforcement agencies and a deputy sheriff and legal adviser for the Plumas County, California, sheriff's office. Part of HuffPost Politics. "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. Kelly added that the investigation of Gonzalezs death needs this level of action for public trust.. 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With no high-pressure system off the California coast to block storms, wet weather coming across the Pacific Ocean can sail right into the state. The decision to detain and arrest Gonzalez was supported by reasonable suspicion and probable cause, but it was also supported by officer safety reasons, District Attorney Nancy OMalleys report says. OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Alameda County Sheriff-Coroners Office finally released the Coroners and autopsy report concerning Edith Arenales of Oakland holds a picture of her son, Mario Gonzalez, who was killed by Alameda police on April 19, 2021. The new autopsy results, released Wednesday, said that Gonzalez died on April 19, 2021, from restraint asphyxiation, according to forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu. 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All rights reserved. In an autopsy report released Friday, chief forensic pathologist Vivian Snyder categorized Gonzalezs death as a homicide, while citing other factors, including Crime and Public Safety | While we wait for the District Attorneys office to make their decision and with the knowledge of the coroners report, the city will work diligently towards completing its ongoing independent investigation and take appropriate action, Joshi said in the statement. "He's hyperventilating, he's obese, apparently he's been drinking Officers need to recognize those factors and take them into consideration.". / CBS/AP. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Gonzalez in the video acts dazed and struggles to answer officers questions. He was anxious and was prescribed medications to help. Crime and Public Safety | April 19, 2021. Again, my heart goes out to Mr. Gonzalez and his family.". No weight no weight.. Feds drop felony gun case days after defense argued SFPD illegally arrested, searched defendant Mario Gonzalez Died Of 'Restraint Asphyxiation' By Police, New Autopsy Finds An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino fathers family had declared: Police in Once the officers had lawfully attempted to detain Mr. Gonzalez, he physically resisted their efforts the entire time until he ultimately became unresponsive, the district attorneys report says. The death of Mario Gonzalez Arenales, a 26-year-old man whose fatal encounter with Alameda police in April became a flash point in a national debate, resulted from the toxic effects of methamphetamine, combined with the physiological stress of restraint by officers and other underlying conditions, according to the Alameda County coroner. State storms arent letting up. During last year's COVID shutdown, Gonzalez lost his job cooking inanItalian restaurant that went out of business during the shutdown. Its a video that has drawn comparison to that of the George Floyd killing. At least one officer kneeled on his back for nearly five minutes until Gonzalez became unresponsive. He wasnt hurting anyone and he was clearly confused. The project will marry her graduate work in clinical psychology and more than 10 years of journalism experience. If they had rolled him on his side when the first officer said to, my sons father might still be here.. Mario is shown on the video calmly speaking with the officers for nearly nine minutes. His death was ruled a homicide but also linked to health and drug use, Oakland leaders are scrambling to tackle violence and attract police officers. "We need justice because we lost someone who was indispensable to our family," Gonzalez's mother told CBS stationKPIX-TVlast week. The Alameda Sheriffs Office and the Alameda County District Attorneys Office are investigating the case, and the city also brought in an outside firm. 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. Two wrongful death suits, nearly mirroring one another, have been filed against the City of Alameda alleging the officers detained Gonzalez without reasonable suspicion and caused him to die of asphyxia. "We don't even know the cause of death right now," he said. The officers roll Gonzalez over and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Ray Kelly said. 12:22 PM EDT, Mon April 11, 2022. In Alameda County, the sheriff also oversees the coroner's office. Gonzalez, 26, of Oakland, died on April 19 at a hospital after being pinned down as Alameda police tried to arrest him. The Alameda County Sheriffs office has asked outside agencies to assist in reviewing the autopsy of Mario Gonzalez, who died in the custody of Alameda police officers. "While we wait for the District Attorneys office to make their decision and with the knowledge of the coroners report, the city will work diligently towards completing its ongoing independent investigation and take appropriate action," Joshi said in his statement. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Meth didnt kill Mario, the officers did. The city of Alameda has repeatedly delayed releasing records under a police transparency law citing the fact that the autopsy had not yet been complete. Crime and Public Safety | He added that he's "committed to full transparency and accountability into the tragic death of Mr. Gonzalez, and as soon as more information is available, we will continue to share it. Gonzalezs family filed a legal claim against the city of Alameda last June, and their attorney told the news station KTVU they plan to file a federal lawsuit soon. Experts have expressed shock at his death, Family members said Gonzalez had no known health conditions and have previously contended that he did not die from medical complications. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. His first newspaper job was as a Washington Post paperboy. Alameda is 15 miles outside San Francisco. Caution: It is graphic. Gonzalezs death resulted from the toxic effects of methamphetamine, combined with the physiological stress of restraint by officers and other underlying conditions, according to the Alameda County coroner. We believe it is an accurate and very comprehensive conclusion in the death of Mario Gonzalez.. Hes a lovely guy. In April, police called the incident a scuffle followed by a. after an outcry from Gonzalezs family showed officers approaching Gonzalez, alone in a park with some bottles of alcohol, and Gonzalez calmly speaking with officers for nearly nine minutes. Charge all those involved so no one else has to lose their loved one.. 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez died last Monday after police responded to a call about a disorderly and possibly intoxicated person. His face had minor abrasions. To Alison Berry Wilkinson, the lawyer representing the three officers and civilian parking employee, the report seemed to confirm that her clients were justified in detaining and arresting Gonzalez. Alameda Police officers James Fisher, Cameron Leahy and Eric McKinley the officers who struggled with Gonzalez before his death remain on paid administrative leave. 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. Were going to take care of you, OK, were going to take care of you, one officer tells him. The law firm also announced an online fundraising campaign on behalf of Cortez and Gonzalezs son. Part of HuffPost Politics. Meth didnt kill Mario, the officers did., Earlier this month, the Alameda County district attorney announced. Click here and here to download a copy of the coroner's report. 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Gonzalez, who weighed about 250 pounds, by that point is lying facedown on some wood chips and can be heard shouting and grunting as the officers use body weight to control him. He kept looking butnever had any luck. The sheriffs office is also convening a cause and manner of death committee to review the case before releasing any findings, sheriff spokesman Sgt. The county coroners office had classified the death of Mario Gonzalez Arenales as a homicide and pointed to the toxic effects of methamphetamine as the leading cause.. They began CPR and called for medical assistance. A statement issued Friday by Alameda police Chief Nishant Joshi says the officers will remain on leave until the investigation is over. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ", Similarly, after the death of Floyd last year, the Minneapolis Police Department issued a news release saying that he had suffered "medical distress. 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