Several hotel workers were fired this week after the recent death of a Black man outside a Milwaukee hotel in an episode, recorded on video, that showed security guards holding the man down as he called for help.
The man, D’Vontaye Mitchell, 43, died on June 30 outside the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee after he had been detained by security guards and was unresponsive when the police arrived, the authorities said. The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that his death was being investigated as a homicide.
It was unclear exactly what had led the security guards to hold down Mr. Mitchell outside the hotel.
The police said there had been a disturbance at the hotel before Mr. Mitchell was taken outside. Lawyers for the Mitchell family have said that he had been struggling with mental health issues.
Video of the episode that has circulated on social media shows what appears to be at least four security guards holding Mr. Mitchell to the ground as he can be heard grunting and calling for help. Someone is heard in the video telling Mr. Mitchell to “stay down.”
A spokeswoman for Hyatt said in an email on Thursday that hotel workers who were involved in the episode had been terminated by Aimbridge Hospitality, a management company which operates the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee franchise. The spokeswoman did not say how many workers were fired.
“Aimbridge Hospitality has taken the right action in terminating the employees involved, and we continue to believe that criminal charges should be filed,” the spokeswoman said.
Aimbridge Hospitality said in a statement that it had fired “several” workers who were involved in the episode for violating the company’s polices. It said it was assisting the authorities with their investigation.
The Milwaukee Police Department said in a statement that an “individual entered a business and caused a disturbance” in the afternoon on June 30. Mr. Mitchell then fought with the security guards as they were escorting him out, the police said.
When officers arrived at the hotel, Mr. Mitchell was unresponsive. He was pronounced dead after attempts to revive him failed, the police said.
The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office said that it was waiting for Mr. Mitchell’s autopsy results, which would allow the office to “comprehensively evaluate the actions leading up to Mr. Mitchell’s death from the perspective of potential criminal liability.”
“All aspects of these actions, including Mr. Mitchell’s death and the use of force by hotel personnel, will be closely examined,” the office said.
Ben Crump, a lawyer for the Mitchell family, said in a statement on Thursday that the decision to fire the hotel workers “highlights how unjustified D’Vontaye’s death truly was.”
“After viewing the video from inside the hotel with the D.A.’s office, it is completely understandable and appropriate that these personnel have been fired for their assault, battery, and excessive force of D’Vontaye, which led to his death,” Mr. Crump added. “However, this is just the first step toward justice. We will continue to fight for accountability and change to prevent such a tragedy.”
At a news conference on Wednesday, DeAsia Harmon, Mr. Mitchell’s widow, said that watching video of the episode made her sick to her stomach.
“He was trying to leave,” Ms. Harmon said. “He said, ‘OK, I’m sorry. I’ll go.”
Ms. Harmon said that her husband was knocked to the ground by the security guards, who dragged him out of the hotel. The security guards then kicked and punched Mr. Mitchell repeatedly, Ms. Harmon said.
“They were basically ripping him out of his clothes,” she said through tears. “They murdered him, and the Hyatt is responsible.”
Mr. Crump said at the news conference that Mr. Mitchell had been struggling with depression and mental health issues after the death of his father.
“He was a husband, a father and a son, who did not deserve to be killed like this: suffocated to death, being by a baton by a private citizen,” Mr. Crump said.
A funeral for Mr. Mitchell was held on Thursday in Milwaukee, where the Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy and called for the security guards to be prosecuted.
“What they did was a crime,” he said. “This wasn’t a mistake at the job. This was taking somebody’s life, and there is no justice till you pay for the life you’ve taken.”
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