Mario Gonzalez
Mario Gonzalez, 26, died on April 19, 2021, after he was restrained by police officers in Alameda, Northern California.
According to police, they received a 911 call about a disoriented man in the park who appeared to be drunk. Police talked with Gonzalez for nearly an hour before finally throwing him to the ground and pinning him down for over five minutes.
Gonzalez was lying face-down on some wood chips and was heard shouting and grunting as the officers used their body weight to control him. One officer seemed to put an elbow on his neck and a knee on his shoulder. When Gonzalez stopped breathing, the officers rolled him over onto his back and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital.
In June 2021 the family of Mario Gonzalez has filed a wrongful death claim against the city of Alameda alleging the officers detained Gonzalez without reasonable suspicion and caused him to die of asphyxia.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
“The police killed my brother in the same manner they killed George Floyd,” said his brother, Gerardo Gonzalez.
“There are three investigations taking place regarding the death of Mario Gonzalez, two by outside agencies (the District Attorney and the Sheriff) and one independent investigation initiated by the city,” said city spokesperson Sarah Henry.
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
