Killing of Daniel Prude

The seven police officers, who were involved in the March arrest of Black man Daniel Prude, have been suspended. Prude was pinned to the ground, put in a "spit hood" and later died of "complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint."

"I am suspending the officers in question today against council's advice, and I urge the attorney general to complete her investigation. Daniel Prude was failed by our police department, our mental healthcare system, our society and, he was failed by me," so Rochester's mayor Lovely Warren, who said that systemic racism led to Prude's death.

41-year-old Black man Daniel Prude had died of asphyxiation in March after police in Rochester, NY put a so-called "spit hood" over his head and pressed his face into the ground for over three minutes, body camera footage and documents released by Prude's family reveal.

Prude's brother Joe called the police on March, 23 to get help for his brother who was suffering from "an acute, manic, psychotic episode." Prude, who was naked, became agitated but complied with police. The officers handcuffed Prude and put a "spit hood" over his head, as Prude had been spitting at the officers they later told investigators.

In the footage, Prude can be heard yelling "You're trying to kill me!", while officers held down his head for over three minutes. Prude was unresponsive when paramedics arrived and was given CPR at the scene. One officer can be heard saying "he feels pretty cold."

Prude was taken to a hospital where he was taken off life support a week later.

According to the New York state's attorney general an investigation is under way.