(Scypre.com) – In a troubling incident in Canton, Ohio, a man lost his life while in police custody, raising serious questions about police practices and accountability. Frank Tyson, a 53-year-old resident of East Canton, died after being forcibly restrained by local police officers, who have since been placed on paid administrative leave.
The incident occurred on the evening of April 18th, following a report of a vehicular crash that resulted in a severed utility pole. Responding to the scene, a Canton police officer, identified as Officer Beau Schoenegge, was directed to a nearby American Veterans (AMVETS) post by a motorist. Upon arrival, body-camera footage, which was released by the police department on Wednesday, captured a tense scene at the bar where Tyson was found.
According to the footage, a woman at the location urgently requested the police to remove Tyson, prompting officers to apprehend him. The video reveals Tyson resisting handcuffing, voicing fears for his life, and pleading for someone to call the sheriff. Despite his protests, officers subdued Tyson, including using a knee on his back—a method fraught with controversy and risk.
As the confrontation escalated, Tyson exclaimed that he could not breathe, a plea that was tragically familiar and reminiscent of other high-profile police custody deaths, such as George Floyd’s in 2020. This phrase, “I can’t breathe,” has been found to be ignored in other custody deaths, according to a recent Associated Press investigation, which highlighted over a thousand similar fatalities over the past decade due to non-lethal means of restraint.
The body-camera footage chillingly shows that while Tyson was facedown, officers engaged in light-hearted banter and perused his wallet, seemingly unaware of his worsening condition. Only minutes later, as Tyson became unresponsive, did the officers begin emergency procedures. Despite attempts at resuscitation and administering Narcan, Tyson was pronounced dead at a hospital within an hour.
The aftermath of the incident has sparked a significant backlash, with the Stark County Coroner’s Office, under chief investigator Harry Campbell, confirming that an autopsy was performed. The results, however, have not yet been disclosed. Meanwhile, Tyson’s niece, Jasmine Tyson, expressed her distress and dissatisfaction with the police response in an interview, criticizing the delay in medical attention.
Adding complexity to the case, it was revealed that Frank Tyson had only been released from state prison on April 6, after serving 24 years for kidnapping and theft. He was reportedly in violation of his post-release supervision for failing to report to a parole officer, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation has taken up the case, clarifying that their role is to investigate the circumstances, with decisions regarding the justification of force and potential charges left to a prosecuting attorney or grand jury.
In the wake of this incident, Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II extended his condolences to Tyson’s family and emphasized a commitment to transparency during this difficult period. The case has also highlighted ongoing concerns regarding police use of force, particularly the dangers of positional asphyxia—an issue that the U.S. Department of Justice has warned against since the mid-1990s.
As the community grapples with this tragedy, many are calling for a reevaluation of police tactics, particularly concerning the handling of suspects in distress. This incident not only revisits the ongoing national debate over police reform but also painfully underscores the life-or-death implications of law enforcement interactions.