The death of a Black man who was restrained outside a Milwaukee hotel has been determined as a homicide, according to an autopsy report released on Friday. D’Vontaye Mitchell died from suffocation while being restrained on June 30, in addition to the effects of drugs found in his system, as stated by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s office. The official cause of Mitchell’s death was labeled as “restraint asphyxia and toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine.”
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office and police had awaited the full autopsy results to review the case as a homicide. The autopsy findings, signed by assistant medical examiner Lauren A. Decker, indicate that Mitchell was restrained by multiple individuals in a prone position after using cocaine and methamphetamine. Additionally, Mitchell had underlying conditions of hypertensive cardiovascular disease and morbid obesity.
An investigative report revealed that Mitchell was restrained by four individuals after causing a disturbance in a hotel lobby and subsequently becoming unresponsive. Video evidence provided by the district attorney’s office showed Mitchell being chased and dragged outside the hotel by security guards where he ultimately died. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Mitchell’s family, demanded immediate charges against those involved in Mitchell’s death, emphasizing the excessive force used during the incident.
A statement from Crump and Mitchell’s family expressed the need for justice, citing Mitchell’s mental health crisis and the failure of security officers to protect him while using excessive force. Aimbridge Hospitality, the hotel’s management company, confirmed that several employees implicated in Mitchell’s death have been terminated.
