Hector Arreola
Hector Arreola, 30, died while in police custody in Columbus, Georgia.
On January 9, 2019, Arreola called police twice for a welfare check. Officers who arrived at the scene tried to arrest him and he was taken to the ground after a struggle. In a body camera footage he is heard yelling that police officers are going to kill him.
An autopsy report said found that altercation between law enforcement and Arreola was a factor that contributed to his death. The report said one of the officers sat on Arreola while he was handcuffed.
The victim’s family sued the city and the police department, accusing them of using excessive force.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
The autopsy report says the cause of death was “sudden cardiac death following a struggle with law enforcement including prone position restraint complicating acute methamphetamine toxicity.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Hector was saying ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,’ and then by the time they get him up, he is limp. That would indicate he died immediately after the officer’s interaction with him,” Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mark Jones said.
WTVM
CASE STATUS:
The initiative group has requested the clarification from US President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The initiative group believes it is important to fight against police brutality and, if necessary, will provide legal and financial assistance to the family of the victim.
Letter to Biden
Letter to Garland
