Man charged in suffocation of DCS employee in Mesa

MESA, AZ (AZFamily) – A Scottsdale man who police say livestreamed himself trying to strangle a Department of Child Safety worker has been officially charged.

The Maricopa County Prosecutor’s Office said a grand jury on Thursday indicted 32-year-old De’Andre Terrell Johnson on charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, unlawful flight from a law enforcement vehicle and four misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct.

The incident happened at The Mesa Tower in the Northeast corner of Alma School Road and Southern Avenue on November 5.

According to court paperwork, Johnson met with the social worker about his daughter and livestreamed it on Facebook.

After discussing the matter, the victim began to walk away when Johnson wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and put him in a chokehold, police said, as the livestream continued.

“You’re a dead man,” Johnson said several times on stream.

Investigators say the victim was in the chokehold for two minutes and thirty seconds and lost consciousness.

Multiple witnesses told Johnson to let him go and he dropped the employee face down on the tile, police said.

According to court documents, Johnson saw the man still breathing and said, “I didn’t make my point,” so he strangled the worker again.

He then let him go, turned off the live stream and left.

Prosecutors said Johnson drove away from police when they tried to stop him and broke through the grab net officers used on his vehicle.

Officers attempted multiple pit maneuvers and eventually took Johnson into custody.

The employee was hospitalized but has since been released.

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