Pasadena, Calif., police quickly released grainy security video and audio from a 911 call from the family of a man who died in their custody after being restrained and tased early Friday morning.
Although authorities have yet to release the name of the dead man, relatives have identified him as Reginald “Junior” Thomas, a father of eight.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Pasadena police received two calls from a family member around 2 a.m. Friday with a report of a domestic disturbance.
A man who identified himself as Thomas’ brother called and said he had a knife but had not threatened those in the apartment with it. He also said that he was on drugs.
Police Capt. Steve Katz said later that officers “saw [Thomas] with a knife.”
When Thomas did not cooperate with police, officers fired their Tasers at him twice, authorities said. Six officers were involved in the incident. Police say that as Thomas was being handcuffed, they noticed that he was in distress and began lifesaving measures.
The security footage released showed the officers walking to the apartment door, but the actual confrontation can ot be clearly seen.
The Pasadena Fire Department received a call at 3 a.m. from police about a man not breathing, a spokesperson said. When they arrived, they determined that it was a fatality.
Word of Thomas’ death quickly spread, and demonstrators marched in the apartment complex calling police killers, the Times reports.
“What is the name of the officer who killed Reginald?” shouted Black Lives Matter demonstrator Jasmine Richards.
Protests continued Sunday and included demonstrations for 18-year-old Carnell Snell Jr., who was killed this weekend by police in South Los Angeles.
Read more at the Los Angeles Times.