Death of Mario Gonzalez

On April 19, 2021, Mario Gonzalez, a 26-year-old Latino man was killed by the Alameda Police Department. In their initial report of the incident, the department reported that Gonzalez died after a “scuffle” and “physical altercation” resulting in a “medical emergency.” In body cam footage released on April 27, Gonzalez could be seen being pinned to the ground for more than five minutes after refusing to provide identification, eventually becoming unresponsive. He died in police custody.
People involved.
Mario Gonzalez.
Mario Gonzalez (December 24, 1994 – April 19, 2021) was a 26-year-old man from Oakland, California. He was a father and was the primary caretaker of his mother and brother, who has autism.
Officers.
The officers involved with Gonzalez' death were identified as Eric McKinley, who has been on the force for three years, Cameron Leahy, who has been on the force for three years, and James Fisher, who has been on the force for 10 years. The three men have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Incident.
An officer approaches Gonzalez at a park after police said they were responding to reports of a man who was believed to be intoxicated and suspected of theft. Gonzalez was in the park with two baskets. Officials asked him to produce his name and identification; Gonzalez does not produce an ID, and an officer states, "Please put your hand behind your back ... please stop resisting us." The officers push Gonzalez into the ground into wood chips, placing a knee on his back and leaving it there for four minutes as an out-of-breath Gonzalez says, "I didn't do nothing." and “Please don’t do this.” Gonzalez loses consciousness, at which point the officers rolled him over and perform CPR. He was pronounced dead.
Investigation.
Alameda city officials launched an independent investigation into Gonzalez' death.
Reactions.
Family.
Gonzalez' brother stated, "Everything we saw in that video was unnecessary and unprofessional. The police killed my brother in the same manner that they killed George Floyd." Julia Sherwin, a lawyer representing the Gonzalez family, stated, "His death was completely avoidable and unnecessary. Drunk guy in a park doesn't equal a capital sentence."
Institutions.
CURYJ Executive Director George Galvis stated, “We have seen this play out time and time again. Police come up with a false narrative until footage is revealed and the truth comes out. They did this to 13-year-old Adam Toledo, and they would have done it to George Floyd if there wasn’t community recording.”
Public figures.
Alameda mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft stated, “I’m just heartsick. This is a young man. This shouldn't have happened."
On Twitter, former-Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro wrote, "Police in Alameda, CA wrote in a report that Mario Gonzalez was violent before his arrest and died in the hospital after a 'medical emergency.' Body cam footage shows he was calm and peaceful. He died on-site after they knelt on his back for 5 minutes."