The officers roll Gonzalez over and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. "They never wanted to take him to the ground,"Wilkinson said at the time. The methamphetamine detected in his blood combined with his enlarged and dilated heart could have together resulted in fatal cardiac arrhythmia, the report continued. "While we wait for the District Attorneys office to make their decision and with the knowledge of the coroners report, the city will work diligently towards completing its ongoing independent investigation and take appropriate action," Joshi said in his statement. Lila Seidman is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times yearlong initiative exploring various facets of mental health. He adored our son and was a good father. Toxicology exams found methamphetamine and amphetamine in Gonzalezs body, the effects of which were aggravated by the stress of his altercation with the officers, the autopsy report said. Mario Gonzalez, a 26-year-old father and east Oakland resident, stopped breathing after an 19 April encounter with police at a park in the city of Alameda, in the San An altercation occurred, an officer was seen pinning a man for at least four minutes, and soon Mario Gonzalez was dead. ", Similarly, after the death of Floyd last year, the Minneapolis Police Department issued a news release saying that he had suffered "medical distress. Ray Kelly said. The independent autopsy confirms what we all saw with our own eyes, Julia Sherwin, an attorney for the Gonzalez family, said in a statement to the Chronicle. Lisa Fernandez and Evan Sernoffsky are reporters forKTVU. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. "They wanted to keep him from tripping, so they killed him instead? No officers were charged. While we wait for the District Attorneys office to make their decision and with the knowledge of the coroners report, the city will work diligently towards completing its ongoing independent investigation and take appropriate action, Joshi said in the statement. But body camera video released shortly afterward, it was clear that Gonzalez was unarmed. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Examiners also detected ethanol in Gonzalezs system and found signs of alcoholism and obesity, including an enlarged and dilated heart and an enlarged liver with severe fatty change. , but the video shows Gonzalez stopped breathing on site and one officer declaring no pulse as officers began CPR. In an autopsy report released Friday, chief forensic pathologist Vivian Snyder categorized Gonzalezs death as a homicide, while citing other factors, including methamphetamine abuse, alcoholism and morbid obesity. The next day, Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter for pinning Floyd to the pavement with his knee on the Black man's neck in a case that touched off a national reckoning over racism and police brutality. Photo: Lisa Fernandez. Then the cops put Marios hands behind his back and pinned him facedown. Interim Police Chief Randy Fenn told KTVU-TV said the video was "troubling" and offered his condolences to Gonzalez's family. The epic California snowpack is inching toward record levels, Massive Tahoe avalanche 'engulfed' 3-story apartment building, city officials hired Louise Renne of the Renne Public Law Group in San Francisco, Opinion: The our city is broken and Im not gonna take it anymore screed, San Francisco is at its most unaffordable point in at least a decade, S.F. A previous Alameda County Sheriffs Office coroners autopsy differed on the cause of death, saying Gonzalez died of a heart attack caused by the stress of the encounter. She's says she's hopeful the Alameda County District Attorney's office "will do their job and prosecute the officers for the homicide that they committed, to hold those officers accountable in criminal court in Alameda County. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? died after Alameda police officers restrained him on his stomach for five minutes, Lawyer Says Police Didn't Need To Arrest Man Who Died After Being Pinned To Ground. The Alameda Sheriffs Office and the Alameda County District Attorneys Office are investigating the case, and the city also brought in an outside firm. At that time, the man had a medical emergency., Another news release said that there was a scuffle as officers attempted to place his hands behind his back., The protection of human life is our primary duty as police officers, interim Police Chief Randy Fenn said last week in announcing a series of investigations into the death. L.A. wants to evict families living in luxury hotel since botched 2021 fireworks detonation Therefore the cause of death is the toxic effects of methamphetamine, with the physiologic stress of altercation and restraint, morbid obesity, and alcoholism contributing to the process of dying.. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Alameda police Officer Erick McKinley was among several officers who responded on April 19, 2021 in the citys Scout Park after a resident called police to claim Gonzalezs presence was scaring his wife. He got depressed. A tremendous amount work went into this investigation by our pathologist and coroners investigative team, Kelly said. The toxicology report by Ascertain Forensics was conducted a month after Gonzalez's death, and his autopsy was signed by Alameda County Chief Forensic Pathologist Vivian S. Snyder on Sept. 25, records show. The loss of Mr. Gonzalez is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.. Then the cops put Marios hands behind his back and pinned him facedown. All Rights Reserved. Paramedics rushed him to Alameda Hospital, where he arrived in cardiac arrest, not breathing, with no pulse, according to the report. The three officers remain on paid administrative leave, according to the city of Alameda. with our own eyes, Julia Sherwin, an attorney for the Gonzalez family, said in a statement to the Chronicle. City officials stated they are "committed to full transparency and accountability in the aftermath of Mr. Gonzalez's death." But it won't last long. One officer put a knee on his back but only as a "balance point," Wilkinson said. Separately, the Police Department is conducting an internal affairs probe into the altercation, and the district attorney is reviewing the case to determine whether to file criminal charges. That was their fatal mistake, experts said. By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman Apr 27, 2022, 08:56 PM EDT Once the officers had lawfully attempted to detain Mr. Gonzalez, he physically resisted their efforts the entire time until he ultimately became unresponsive, the district attorneys report says. The civil litigation filed by Gonzalezs family is ongoing and the the Citys legal team is committed to defending the City in the pending litigation, Sarah Henry, public information officer for the City of Alameda told CNN in a statement. Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. The city also acknowledged that there are simultaneous investigations into Gonzalez's death by the Alameda County District Attorneys Office, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office and the citys internal investigation remain active and open. The family also wants the California Department of Justice to investigate the police departments handling of the case. 16-year-old student killed in violent altercation at Santa Rosa's Californias storms arent letting up. The last delay was on Tuesday. First published on April 29, 2021 / 8:35 AM. Hes lifting my whole body weight up, an officer tells his colleague. That's a huge boost for the Dubs, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. In this image taken from Alameda Police Department body camera video, Alameda Police Department officers pin 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez to the ground during an arrest, April 19, in Alameda, Calif. Gonzalez stopped breathing during the arrest and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Then officers can be seen putting Gonzalezs hands behind his back and pinning him facedown. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Alameda is 15 miles outside San Francisco. Born in Berkeley, she graduated from Cal with a degree in rhetoric and is now raising two daughters in El Cerrito. Caution: It is graphic. of Gonzalezs death, his younger brother, Jerry, spoke to a crowd of dozens of mourners in the park where he was killed. A statement issued Friday by Alameda police Chief Nishant Joshi says the officers will remain on leave until the investigation is over. He worried if he or his mother died who would take care of his brother Efrain, 23, who suffers from severe autism and is nonverbal. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder in George Floyds death. In a case that drew national attention and comparisons to the murder of George Floyd an autopsy report released Friday for a California man who died in April after being restrained by police identifies his manner of death a homicide but cites methamphetamine toxicity as the leading cause. Gonzalez weighed about 250 pounds (113 kilograms), and police said he appeared to be under the influence. Dec 13, 2021, 05:41 PM EST. Email Evan atevan.sernoffsky@fox.comand follow him on Twitter @EvanSernoffsky. The autopsy also noted that Gonzalez had more than 20 cuts and bruises. An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino fathers family had declared: Police in Alameda, California, killed him, not meth. He wasnt hurting anyone and he was clearly confused. And while none of his family members knows exactly what Gonzalez was doing in Alameda that day, they said he often traveled therefor peace and quiet. Gonzalez's mother, who lost another son two years ago, turned 45 the day after Mario died, his brother said. His face had minor abrasions. Chief forensic pathologist, Vivian Snyder, cites other significant contributing factors to Gonzalez's death, including the physiologic stress of the restraint by police during the incident as well as alcoholism and morbid obesity. Body camera video shows officers attempt to take Mario Gonzalez into custody on April 19, 2021. The officers approach to Mr Gonzalez detention and arrest and their use of force appeared reasonable under the circumstances, the report says. He said he will soon file a federal lawsuit against the city and the officers involved. The long-awaited autopsy found morbid obesity and alcoholism were also contributing factors in Gonzalez's April 19 death. The initialpress releasefrom the Alameda Police said that officers attempted to detain Gonzalez, and a "physical altercation ensued." The new autopsy results, released Wednesday, said that Gonzalez died on April 19, 2021, from restraint asphyxiation, according to forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu. Therefore, the report concludes, the cause of death is the toxic effects of methamphetamine, with the physiologic stress of altercation and restraint, morbid obesity, and alcoholism contributing to the process of dying., Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Alameda Officer Eric McKinley spoke to Gonzalez for nine minutes before he and two other officers tried to arrest him, with help from a civilian parking employee. An Alameda city spokesperson said Wednesday that the city had no additional comment beyond its statement earlier this month, acknowledging the district attorneys decision and saying it hoped the decision would move the citys independent investigation closer to an end. "We need justice because we lost someone who was indispensable to our family," Gonzalez's mother told CBS stationKPIX-TVlast week. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Alameda Police Department said in its first news release that officers attempted to detain the man, and a physical altercation ensued. In statements Wednesday, a Gonzalez lawyer and family member further decried police actions that led to his death. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Part of HuffPost Politics. Our family needs answers: Relatives call for swift transparency in mans death during arrest by Alameda police CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Attorneys for the family of Mario Gonzalez, a Latino man who died after an Alameda officer put a knee on his back and neck for more than four minutes, are asking the I know they are already suffering the severe trauma of losing a loved one, Joshi said. Gonzalezs death resulted from the toxic effects of methamphetamine, combined with the physiological stress of restraint by officers and other underlying conditions, according to the Alameda County coroner. The Bay Area was facing its own reckoning with police accountability that only intensified after police released the body-worn camera footage of Gonzalez's desperate final moments. He said the lack of accountability for the police officers was bullcrap., We know that what happened wasnt right, Jerry said. That's a huge boost for the Dubs, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Exploring various facets of mental health California hasnt followed: What should you do the. Gonzalez family, said in its first news release that officers attempted to detain,. Wants the California Department of Justice to investigate the police departments handling of mario gonzalez alameda autopsy case and alcoholism were also factors... For Bay Area, but California has n't followed: What should you do Policy and Terms of Service AM! 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