Following the call, police were dispatched to the suite for a “domestic situation” at 12:09 a.m. In the meantime, the woman fled to another suite in the building, Smyth said.

Seven minutes later, the woman called police back and said her boyfriend had fallen down the stairs from their second-floor suite and was lying in the snow at the base of the stairs. Another caller said the man had wandered into the parking lot but had fallen on the ground, said Smyth.

Pete said at one point he told a 911 operator that it looked like the man had passed out and wasn’t moving anymore. He said he also told the operator the man was flinging his arms out, but again, said it looked like he was passed out and needed help.

When police arrived, the man was still lying on his back in the snow. Police descended on him, using force in a manner that escalated things unnecessarily, Pete said.

“They just kept beating him. They just kept beating him, they wouldn’t stop. He actually at one point reached out his hand, and he says, ‘please stop, please stop.’”

  • PineRune@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    There’s a pretty bold line between excessive force and outright murder. If you can’t tell, then you’re part of the problem.