Shocking video captured four security guards pushing a man to the ground outside a downtown Milwaukee hotel, ultimately leading to his death.
Dvontaye Mitchell, 43, was pronounced dead outside the Hyatt Regency hotel around 4 p.m. on June 30. Security officers tried to hold him down as he pleaded for help.
At least one of the guards appeared to be kneeling on Mitchell’s back, while another held his head. The other two held his legs and arms.
The guard holding his head also struck Mitchell several times with an unknown object and yelled at him, “Stay down! Stop fighting!”
But Mitchell could be heard growling and screaming, “Please help! Please! I’m sorry.”
Shocking video shows four security guards pinning down a man outside a Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Milwaukee
When one of the guards finally realizes he’s being filmed, he says, “This is what happens when you go to the ladies’ room!”
When the guard holding his head finally notices a bystander filming them, he says, “This is what happens when you go to the ladies’ room!”
Police have said Mitchell walked into the hotel that afternoon and caused a commotion. They did not specify what happened, but witnesses said he locked himself in a bathroom with a woman, Fox 6 Now reports.
He then allegedly fought with guards as they escorted him outside. The guards held him until police arrived.
But when authorities finally arrived at the hotel, they found Mitchell unconscious and after performing life-saving measures, they pronounced him dead at the scene. This was reported by NBC News.
Mitchell’s mother said she was later shocked when she saw the injuries to her son’s body.
“It looked like the side of his face had been bashed in,” Brenda Giles said told WTMJ.
Dvontaye Mitchell, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene of the hotel on June 30
Giles has since suggested her son suffered from mental illness and, with the help of renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, is calling for justice. Crump called Mitchell’s death “disturbing” and “reminiscent of the murder of George Floyd.”
“Everyone in America after George Floyd should have trained their employees and their security personnel not to put their knees on people’s backs and necks,” Crump, who previously represented Floyd’s family, said at a news conference Monday.
“And if people have trouble breathing, don’t let them lie on their stomachs.”
The lawyer blamed the security guards for the death of an “unarmed man” because they used “excessive force” and called for a “thorough and transparent investigation” into their actions.
Mitchell is survived by his wife, daughter and son.
His family is now demanding that criminal charges be filed against the security guards and has called for greater transparency in the investigation.
Mitchell’s grieving family is also demanding criminal charges be filed against the security guards and has called for more transparency. They have asked for the release of security footage from inside the hotel. according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
They report that Mitchell leaves behind a wife, a daughter and a son.
“They killed my child,” Giles told WTMJ, adding that her “frustration is” with the security guards.
“No one has been charged in this case,” she said. “They’re trying to sweep this under the rug and we’re not going to let it sweep under the rug.”
Milwaukee police said their homicide unit is investigating Mitchell’s death, but have not yet determined the case is criminal in nature.
The death is also being investigated by the Milwaukee County Prosecutor’s Office.
Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump compared Mitchell’s death to that of George Floyd
Meanwhile, Hyatt has said that all security guards involved have been suspended while a third party investigates their actions.
“We are working quickly with the hotel’s third-party operator, Aimbridge Hospitality, to determine the full extent of what occurred,” a spokesperson for the hotel chain told NBC News.
“We understand that Aimbridge Hospitality is conducting a thorough investigation and has suspended the employees involved in the incident.”
The spokesperson also noted that the hotel is cooperating with police and said: “We extend our sincere condolences to all who knew and loved Mr Mitchell.”
A spokesperson for Aimbridge Hospitality also said the company offers “our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Mitchell.”
“We continue to do everything we can to support the ongoing law enforcement investigation into this incident and have no further comment at this time,” the spokesperson told WTMJ.
“We remain committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all hotel guests and employees,” the spokesperson said.
However, Crump said he wants to keep Mitchell’s death in the spotlight as tens of thousands of people descend on Milwaukee next week for the Republican Party convention.
He noted that the hotel where Mitchell was killed is directly across the street from the Baird Center, one of the main venues for the high-profile event.