#ManuelEllis died in police custody after pleading "I can't breathe' while being restrained on the ground by Tacoma, WA police. An autopsy released by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office on Wednesday has revealed that Ellis, 33, died as a result of oxygen deprivation and the physical restraint that was used. His death was ruled a homicide “The information is all being put together,” Pierce County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Detective Ed Troyer said. “We expect to present it to the prosecutor at the end of this week or early next week.” The autopsy also noted methamphetamine intoxication and heart disease as contributing factors to Ellis’ death. Ellis, a father of two, encountered police when they say they saw him banging on the window of another vehicle. Ellis is accused of approaching the officers and tossing one officer to the ground when the officer got out of their vehicle. The two officers and two backup policemen came to assist handcuffed the 33-year-old. Two of the officers were white, one was Black and one was Asian. KIRO7 identified the officers as #ChristopherBurbank , 34; #MatthewCollins, 37; #MasyihFord, 28; and #TimothyRankine , 31. “Mr. Ellis was physically restrained as he continued to be combative,” the Tacoma Police Department claimed in a statement. None of the officers had body cameras, so the amount of restraint has not been determined. Troyer noted that he did not think a chokehold or a knee was used, and that officers rolled Ellis to the side after he said “I can’t breathe.” “The main reason why he was restrained was so he wouldn’t hurt himself or them,” Detective Troyer said. “As soon as he said he couldn’t breathe, they requested medical aid.” Ellis was still breathing when medics arrived, and he was removed from handcuffs. Medical personnel performed CPR for 40 minutes before he was pronounced dead. “My heart literally hurts,” Monet Carter-Mixon, Ellis’ sister told the Times. “It’s painful. My brother was my best friend.” Ellis was one of several local men whose deaths were highlighted at a Tuesday night rally in Tacoma Washington. • #unheardvoicesmag #police #policeencounters #actionitem #tacomapolice #vids https://www.instagram.com/p/CBCccBMF_b4/?igshid=1p34cdnwhwa50
