Multiple employees involved in the death of a black man who pinned to the ground Employees at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee have been laid off, the company that manages the hotel said.
Family members of D’Vontaye Mitchell and their attorneys rated hotel security video provided Wednesday by the Milwaukee County Prosecutor’s Office, describing how Mitchell was chased into the hotel by security guards and then dragged outside, where he was beaten.
“The behavior we witnessed from several employees on June 30th was in violation of our policies and procedures and does not reflect our values as an organization or the behavior we expect of our employees,” an Aimbridge Hospitality spokesperson said in an email. “After reviewing their actions, their employment has been terminated. We will continue our independent investigation and do everything we can to support law enforcement in their investigation into this tragic incident.”
The spokesperson would not say how many employees were laid off or what their positions were.
Mitchell, 43, was held on his stomach outside the hotel, media reported. Police said he entered the hotel, caused a disturbance and fought with security guards as they escorted him out.
The coroner’s office has said the preliminary cause of death was homicide, but the cause is still under investigation. So far, no criminal charges have been filed.
The Public Prosecution Service said on Wednesday that it is awaiting the full autopsy results together with the police and that the case is being investigated as a murder.
Mitchell’s funeral service was scheduled for Thursday. The Reverend Al Sharpton is expected to deliver a eulogySharpton is a longtime activist and leader who has served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
It is unclear why Mitchell was at the hotel or what happened before guards detained him.
Mitchell’s widow, DeAsia Harmon, described what she saw on the surveillance footage as “disgusting.” Harmon said the footage showed a bleeding Mitchell being dragged from the hotel.
“It makes me sick,” Harmon said at a news conference Wednesday. “He was running for his life. He was trying to get away. He said, ‘I’m going,’ but they wouldn’t let him go.”
Well-known civil rights attorney Ben Crump is part of the legal team representing Mitchell’s family. Crump said Wednesday that they have a signed statement from a hotel employee who said a security guard hit Mitchell with a baton and that Mitchell posed no threat when he was on the ground. The employee said a security guard ordered him and a bellhop to detain Mitchell, Crump said.
Crump also represented the family of George Floyd, who killed in may 2020 by a white police officer in Minneapolis. Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests against racial violence and police brutality.
Mitchell’s death comes as Milwaukee prepares to kick off regular season on Monday. Republican National Convention and in the midst of increased concerns about safety around political protests.