Black man says 'I can't breathe' in final plea as cop kneels on his neck

A police officer in Ohio killed a 53-year-old Black man by pressing his knee against the victim's neck while handcuffed, according to a video of the incident, echoing the painful death of George Floyd in 2020.

Frank Tyson, who allegedly fled from a traffic accident in the Canton region on April 18, was killed in a suspected case of police brutality, according to police body camera footage released to the public on Friday.

The footage, which immediately went viral on social media, showed Tyson saying: "I can't breathe."

It drew comparisons to the death of another Black man, George Floyd, who was killed in police brutality in 2020.

Tyson was detained by police in a cafeteria on suspicion of being involved in a car accident and was on the ground while being handcuffed behind his back, according to the footage.

"They're trying to kill me," Tyson tells police repeatedly.

While lying handcuffed and face down, Tyson can be seen struggling to breathe as an officer presses his knee against his neck.

Tyson shouts: "I can't breathe", several times before lying motionless on the ground. Minutes later, officers check if he is alive and realises that Tyson is not breathing.

The officers start CPR before he is transported to the hospital by ambulance where he died.

Police brutality and racism

The incident is reminiscent of Floyd's deadly encounter with Minneapolis police four years ago.

A cellphone video of Floyd's killing, which went viral, unleashed a wave of protests worldwide against police brutality and racism.

It shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd, who was Black, begs for his life, repeating, "I can't breathe" before falling silent.

Chauvin and three of his fellow officers were eventually convicted of manslaughter and other crimes.

The Canton Police Department officers involved in the Tyson incident were identified as Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch, WKYC TV channel reported.

Both were placed on administrative leave and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident, the channel reported.

___

Source: TRT