The Canton Police Department in Ohio has released body camera video from an incident where a 53-year-old man, Frank Tyson, died after repeatedly telling officers “I can’t breathe” as he was handcuffed and pinned to the ground. In the video, officers respond to a single-car crash, locate Tyson at an AMVETS lodge, and attempt to handcuff him. Tyson can be heard shouting “They’re trying to kill me” and “I can’t breathe” multiple times during the encounter. The nearly 36-minute video shows Tyson being taken to the ground, with an officer appearing to place his knee on Tyson’s upper body as Tyson continues to plead that he cannot breathe.
As the officers handcuff Tyson, one officer appears to have his knee on Tyson for about 30 seconds before removing it. Tyson states multiple times that he can’t breathe, to which someone responds dismissively. After Tyson appears to stop moving, an officer checks his pulse and CPR is later performed on an unresponsive Tyson. Tyson was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after the incident. The cause of death is pending investigation by the Stark County Coroner’s Office. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting an independent investigation into the incident.
In addition to the body camera footage, the police department released recordings of two 911 calls related to the incident. Canton Mayor William Sherer II has met with Tyson’s family to provide condolences and allow them to view the footage released to the public. Police Chief John Gabbard has extended his condolences to Tyson’s loved ones and expressed confidence in the thoroughness of the BCI’s review. Both Sherer and Gabbard have stated that, due to the ongoing investigation, they are limited in what information they can provide.
The video footage shows Tyson lying motionless on the floor for over 5 minutes before CPR is initiated. The officers involved in the incident are identified as Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch. The video captures Tyson repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe” and “They’re trying to kill me” as he is handcuffed and pinned to the ground. The officers involved appear to ignore Tyson’s pleas for help while he is restrained and unresponsive.
The Canton Police Department responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash and located Tyson at the AMVETS lodge. Witnesses directed them to Tyson, who reportedly struggled with officers during the encounter. The police department released a statement indicating that the officers recognized Tyson had become unresponsive shortly after being handcuffed. CPR and Narcan were administered before Tyson was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The investigation is being handled by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation due to the nature of the incident.
The police department emphasized transparency in releasing the body camera footage and recordings of 911 calls. Mayor Sherer and Police Chief Gabbard have expressed sympathy for Tyson’s family and confidence in the thoroughness of the investigation being conducted by the BCI. They have stated that they are cooperating with investigators and providing necessary information to facilitate the ongoing review. The community is awaiting the results of the investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding Tyson’s death.
