Two Ohio officers charged in death of black man who pleaded ‘I can’t breathe’

Two police officers in Canton, Ohio, have been indicted by a grand jury on reckless homicide charges in the death of a Black man who died in April after being stopped by police and telling officers he couldn’t breathe, authorities said.

Officers Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge, both 24, were booked into the Stark County Jail on Friday, November 1, local media reports WKYC And WOIO report, citing prison records.

Stark County Prosecutor Kyle L. Stone announced the charges at a news conference on Nov. 2, saying he presented the findings of an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigation into Tyson’s death to a grand jury last week.

The charges come about six months after Frank E. Tyson, a 53-year-old resident of East Canton, Ohio, died in police custody on April 18. press release from attorney Bobby DiCello, who represents the Tyson family.

DiCello said Tyson was handcuffed by police and held down with a knee to his upper back and neck as he pleaded, “I can’t breathe,” the release said.

The incident occurred after Tyson fled the scene of a crash, Canton police previously said: CNN reports this. Police body camera footage obtained by the outlet shows officers forcing Tyson to the ground and handcuffing him, with his hands behind his back.

Despite his pleas, Tyson remained motionless on the ground for an extended period before officers checked his pulse and began CPR. Tyson was pronounced dead at the hospital, the outlet reported.

After completing an autopsy, the Stark County Coroner’s Office determined Tyson’s death was a homicide, WOIO reports. Contributing causes included acute intoxication from cocaine and alcohol and cardiac arrest, the outlet said.

“I would like to express my deepest condolences to those close to Mr. Tyson,” Canton Police Chief John Gabbard told CNN at the time. According to the newspaper, the two officers were initially placed on administrative leave, but the current status of their employment is unclear.

PEOPLE contacted Canton police for additional comment but did not hear back in time for publication.

DiCello said in the release, “We recognize that this is just one step in achieving justice for Frank and his family in a long and very difficult journey.”

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“It is incredibly rare to achieve a result like this. It takes strength, courage and a community to stand up for themselves. We will not stop fighting for Frank and his family as we relentlessly pursue justice,” DiCello added.

According to WOIO, Burch and Schoenegge could face up to 36 months in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of a third-degree felony.

The officers, who are being held on a $25,000 bond, are expected to be arraigned on Friday, November 8, WKYC reported. PEOPLE could not immediately identify attorneys who could speak on their behalf.

Following the allegations, Frank’s brother John Tyson said at the press conference, according to DiCello’s release: “It’s not the win we were looking for, but we’ll take this small win and build on it.”

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