TThe Milwaukee Police Department has filed manslaughter charges against four individuals in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell, the 43-year-old black man who died after being pinned down by security guards outside a downtown Hyatt hotel.
Police filed the charges on July 5, and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing them, police said in a statement. Press release on Friday. The Public Prosecutor’s Office did not respond to a request for comment. Police said in the press release that they also referred to an “underlying charge of assault” against the individuals.
Police declined to release the names of the individuals, saying they would only do so if criminal charges were issued. Currently, no one has been charged or arrested, police said.
See more information: D’Vontaye Mitchell’s death outside Milwaukee Hyatt sparks outrage. What do we know
On June 30, Mitchell went to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. Local authorities said he was forcibly escorted out and restrained after a fight with security guards allegedly turned physical. When police arrived, Mitchell was found unconscious and pronounced dead at the scene. Cellphone footage from witnesses showed that Mitchell had been pinned down by four security guards, with at least one of the guards kneeling on Mitchell’s back.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who was hired by Mitchell’s family, said in a statement that the news was “a significant step toward justice.” He highlighted the need to pressure the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to formally file charges so that the individuals involved “are truly held accountable.”
“We are grateful for the forwarding of these charges as they underscore the gravity of the actions that led to D’Vontaye’s sudden and untimely death,” Crump said. “While this development cannot undo the pain and loss experienced by D’Vontaye’s family, it is a crucial part of the process to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. Our fight is far from over and we remain committed to D’Vontaye’s family in their quest for justice.”
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This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
