A horrific video is making its way around the web, as it shows a 400-pound man from Staten Island being forcefully arrested by the NYPD, who actually ends up accidentally killing him.
Eric Garner, who was the father of six children, was surrounded by at least 4 officers on a sidewalk in the New York City borough and they eventually put him in a chokehold, which cut off his breathing.
In the viral video, Garner is seen yelling at the police and accusing them of harassing him consistently, as well as shooting down their beliefs that he is continuing to sell untaxed cigarrettes.
The man who shot the video, Ramsey Orta, can be heard narrating to the camera that he thinks Garner is being addressed and arrested by police for breaking up a fight.
Soon, things escalate as one of the officers jumps onto Garner’s back and places him in a chokehold, where Garner can be heard crying out “I can’t breathe!” 6 times as the other officers take him to the ground.
His head slams into the sidewalk and soon enough he was reported to be foaming at the mouth, dying shortly after.
Eric Garner had a medical history that included asthma, which is being reported as one of the key causes for his inability to breathe during the arrest.
Wilbert L. Cooper of VICE Magazine wrote a blog called “Eric Garner and the Plague of Police Brutality On Black Men”, where he shared some of his speculations after watching the video:
Police say that Garner made a “fighting stance” and resisted arrest. Which, based on the video clip, is complete nonsense, considering we can see him pleading to the officers, “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe!” before going completely silent as several officers pile on him.
Read the rest of his blog here.
We pray for the family of Eric Garner, including his wife and six children and hope that justice is served.
SOURCE: VICE
