On Tuesday, Milwaukee County’s district attorney charged four individuals with felony murder in connection to the June death of D’Vontaye Mitchell, 43, a Black man who was pinned to the ground by hotel staff outside a Hyatt Regency in downtown Milwaukee. The incident was partially recorded on video.
4 hotel workers charged with felony murder in death of man captured being pinned down
Alan Erickson, a security guard; Devin W. Johnson-Carson, a front desk agent; Brandon Ladaniel Turner a security guard who was off-duty at the time; and Herbert T. Williamson, a bellman. The… pic.twitter.com/M3rVo3NpS5— RidinwithKamala (@tltown2019) August 7, 2024
Arrest warrants have been issued for the four individuals involved, according to the office of Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm. The charges follow the release of an autopsy report last Friday, which stated that Mitchell died from “restraint asphyxia and toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine.” The manner of death was classified as homicide by the Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office.
On June 30, Mitchell allegedly created a disturbance at the hotel, leading security guards to remove him, according to a statement from the Mitchell family’s attorney, Ben Crump. Mitchell was buried on July 11.
The incident occurred amidst ongoing scrutiny of the use of force by police and security personnel, especially against people of colour, following nationwide protests after George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer nearly four years ago.
A social media video shows security guards and others pinning Mitchell to the ground. Mitchell is heard pleading with the guards, repeatedly saying, “Please” and “I’m sorry.” One guard, who appears to be White, instructs him to “Stay down” and “Stop fighting,” while others, who appear to be people of colour, hold him down. The same guard tells witnesses, “This is what happens when you go into the ladies room.”
At a news conference on Friday, another Mitchell family attorney, William Sulton, presented new videos from the incident, including security footage from inside the Hyatt showing employees removing Mitchell from the building. The footage depicts Mitchell being dragged across the lobby floor and later held down outside. One guard is seen punching Mitchell in the head after he was slammed to the ground.
The Milwaukee police have been contacted for comments on the videos. Following the incident, Aimbridge Hospitality, which manages the hotel, announced the termination of several employees after Hyatt called for their dismissal and criminal charges.
It remains unclear how long it took for police to arrive at the scene and what Mitchell was doing at the hotel before the incident. Upon arrival, officers found Mitchell unresponsive and despite attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead. The police did not mention Mitchell by name in their statement.
The medical examiner’s report indicated that Mitchell appeared frantic and was panting when he arrived at the hotel. He attempted to hide in various places in the lobby and tried to lock himself and several women in the bathroom after being asked to leave. Two security guards then pulled him out and struggled to get him outside, with two other employees assisting.
The medical examiner’s report also stated, “This 43-year-old male was restrained by four people after being combative in the hotel lobby. He reportedly went unresponsive while staff awaited police arrival.” Illicit drug paraphernalia was found on his person.
Mitchell’s mother believes he was experiencing a mental health crisis, and the family has blamed excessive force for his death. Aimbridge Hospitality initially suspended the employees involved and later fired them, stating, “The conduct we saw from several associates on June 30 violated our policies and procedures, and does not reflect our values as an organization or the behaviours we expect from our associates.”
Further updates will follow as the story develops.