A Black man who had run naked through the streets of a western New York city died of asphyxiation after a group of police officers put a hood over his head, according to video and records released Wednesday by the man’s family.
Daniel Prude was left brain dead after the incident and later died on March 30 when he was taken off of life support – seven days after the encounter with police in Rochester.
MEDICAL EXAMINER RULED HIS DEATH A HOMICIDE
The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, caused by complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint, excited delirium [and] acute phencyclidine [PCP] intoxication.
While the fatal incident occurred on March 23 – weeks before George Floyd would die in Minnesota police custody in May, sparking nationwide protests – Prude’s death received no public attention.
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But on Wednesday his family held a news conference to reveal disturbing police body camera footage of Prude’s final moments, along with written reports they obtained through a public records request.
Protesters gathered Wednesday outside Rochester’s Public Safety Building, which also serves as its police headquarters. Demonstrators remained as night fell, demanding for the officers involved to be charged with murder.