Death of Black man while restrained by Milwaukee hotel guards ruled homicide

Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The death of an unarmed Black man while being restrained by hotel security guards in Milwaukee two months ago is a case of homicide, medical examiners determined Friday.

The examiner's official report, obtained by multiple news outlets , confirmed that D'Vontaye Mitchell, 43, died on June 30 from asphyxia as a result of being restrained by Hyatt Regency hotel security guards, as well as from the effects of cocaine and methamphetamine intoxication.

Mitchell's death sparked widespread community outrage and protests from his family , who compared it to the 2020 police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and called for charges to be brought against the guards involved.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's office did not immediately indicate if it would file charges in the wake of the medical examiner's report. Authorities said last month they were waiting for the examiner's report to be filed before making any decisions.

No one has yet been charged in connection with Mitchell's death.

While restraint and drug intoxication were listed as the "immediate" causes of death, other "significant conditions" contributing to the death include hypertensive cardiovascular disease and morbid obesity.

WTMJ-TV reported surveillance footage of the incident showed Mitchell not fighting back as hotel employees dragged, hit and beat him while he was lying prone outside the hotel.

"The medical examiner's report concluded that Mitchell died from restraint asphyxia and ruled his death a homicide. These findings demand immediate charges against the officers involved," the Mitchell family's legal team said in a statement to the station.

"Mitchell was in the midst of a mental health crisis and, instead of abiding by their duty to protect and serve, the security officers and other Hyatt staff used excessive force that inflicted injury resulting in death. We will not rest until we achieve justice for Mitchell and his grieving family," they said.