why was elijah mcclain wearing a ski mask
But as the researchers note, inconsistencies among state mandates for mask wearing can lead to confusion among the public. READ NEXT: Suspected Human Scalp With Braids Found at Missouri Campground, Elijah McClain: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. While we appreciate her moving on this, we feel it is important to codify these bans so they cannot be rolled back by a change in department leadership and so that our community knows where council stands on the matter, he said. There, youll also find thoughts and questions by our community. . The ketamine dose McClain received is not stated in the autopsy report, which notes instead that his blood ketamine concentration was at a normal therapeutic level, well below levels seen in ketamine overdose deaths. Before the city report, Minneapolis had no department rules prohibiting police "prescriptions" of ketamine, even though the department manual labeled it a date rape drug. did not initially receive widespread attention, Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt, and Randy Roedema, combative police response to peaceful protesters, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The civil complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado by Mr. McClains parents, Sheneen McClain and Lawayne Mosley, sought damages for the family and named the city, 12 police officers, two Fire Department paramedics and the departments medical director as defendants. In August 2019, police officers in Aurora, Colorado, approached 23-year-old Elijah McClain as he walked home from a convenience store. From the officers perception, it went from an investigatory stop to a potential life-threatening incident, and it certainly raised the officers use of force, Young wrote in a letter to Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz. AP Photo/David Zalubowski The 911 caller reported a man wearing a ski mask and waving his arms around. Elijah McClain According to Elijah's family and the petition, Elijah was simply walking home from a convenience store after buying three iced teas (sound familiar?) The coroner listed McClains cause of death as undetermined, but points to hemorrhaging in his neck and abrasions on different parts of his body. Members of minority racial groups, particularly Black and Hispanic men, may be resistant to mandates requiring them to wear a mask in public, given racial stigmas and societal inequities that continue to criminalize them based on their appearances. I thank God that he was my son because just him being born brought life into my world, you know what I mean? she said. Today I signed an Executive Order designating Attorney General Phil Weiser to investigate and, if the facts support prosecution, criminally prosecute any individuals whose actions caused the death of Elijah McClain. The male began to resist the officer contact, a struggle then ensued, and he was . McClain was stopped by police for wearing a ski mask that he . University textiles and design experts jump into action to help protect peers on medical side. On June 9, Auroras Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson ordered a ban on the chokeholds, the Sentinel Colorado reported. Paramedics administered the powerful sedative ketamine after McClain was diagnosed with "excited delirium." Black people, men especially, have spoken out about the dangers of wearing any mask as a Black person because it puts them at risk of being labelled suspicious, increasing the likelihood of a deadly confrontation with police. who had been reported as suspicious because he was wearing a ski mask as he walked . Jared Polis eventually appointed Attorney General Phil Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate Mr. McClains death. He was definitely a light in a whole lot of darkness. Arnett believes that, in addition to helping manage a chronic chill that McClain attributed to his anemia, wearing a mask helped him manage his social anxiety. after a 911 caller had reported a man wearing a ski mask and . Terms of Service apply. Mr. McClain was already handcuffed when the medics arrived at the scene, and the indictment says they did not talk to Mr. McClain, check his vital signs or properly monitor him after giving him a powerful drug. An Aurora Fire Department press release said ketamine is "routinely utilized to reduce agitation" during arrests. If, as with McClain and many of the Minneapolis cases, "you've got someone who is already restrained, using ketamine is not going to pass that test both because there are safer alternatives and because there is really no reason to be using a sedative to begin with.". Privacy Policy and His sister later told a local ABC affiliate, Denver7, that McClain was wearing an open-face ski mask because he "had anemia and would sometimes get cold." And although he was unarmed, simply walking home, and, his sister said, listening to music, police claimed that "a struggle ensued." Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. From luxurious hotel-style duvet covers to relaxed linen options. Death of Elijah McClain. Many might wonder why it is mandatory in one state, but not in another. McClain had been walking home from a convenience store wearing a ski mask when someone called 911 to report a suspicious person. According to the Sentinel, he often spent his lunch breaks at local animal shelters, putting on concerts for cats and dogs because he believed music would help soothe their anxiety. when he was approached by officers who responded to a call from someone who reported seeing him walking while wearing a ski mask. The first assumption wasnt these are people protecting themselves and others around them from the virus, it was the assumption of stealing or some ill will, Vickie Mays, a professor of health policy and management at UCLAs Fielding School of Public Health, told STAT. This call resulted in Elijah's death, the petition reads. As she notes, masks are required for entry on public transportation, at grocery stores and pharmacies. On November 22, 2019, Adams County prosecutors announced that they would not bring charges against the trio, who then returned to normal duty. #JusticeForElijah #SAYHISNAME pic.twitter.com/6bf6fKhihW, He often developed friendships with his massage clients, like April Young, who told the Sentinel, He had a child-like spirit He lived in his own little world. On Aug. 24, 2019, police received a 911 call in which the caller said that Mr. McClain, who was walking home from a convenience store, "looked sketchy" and was wearing a ski mask and waving . A spokesperson for the Denver Police Department, however, told The Mighty the officers have not been transferred to Denver. "Auroras continued failure to acknowledge the wrongdoing of its employees only exacerbates the problem.. On September 1, two years after McClain died, a grand jury returned a 32-count indictment charging officers Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema, former police officer Jason Rosenblatt, and Aurora Fire and Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Lieutenant Peter Cichuniec with one count each of manslaughter and one count each of criminally negligent homicide. The nexus is news at Jefferson, How to Have Difficult Conversations About COVID and Race Relations. Councilperson Juan Marcanosaid he felt it was crucial to put together a code of rules regarding the use of the carotid pressure ban to ensure its impact. This is permitted because Aurora has one of the "90 fire departments and emergency medical service agencies across Colorado [with] waivers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to use ketamine to treat excited delirium," the Denver Post reports. The researchers also point out that early in the pandemic, COVID-19 was labeled as a virus that would disproportionately affect the elderly, resulting in low levels of perceived susceptibility, feelings of nave invincibility and limited uptake in mask wearing among young and middle-aged adults. Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist and skilled violist, died following an encounter with police in August 2019 while he was walking home from a convenience store. The police arrived, and after struggling to handcuff Mr. McClain, officers brought him to the ground and used a carotid hold, which restricts blood to the brain to render someone unconscious. Hey Florida! A Change.org petition calls for the officers involved in his death to be taken off duty and for the entire incident to be investigated again independently. Both Sides of a Breakup: She Didnt Tell Her Family She Was Dating a Woman, At Bottega Veneta, Characters You May Know. His name, his legacy. Paramedics were called to assist the police and injected McClain with ketamine to sedate him. In the reports immediate aftermath, City Manager Twombly said he and the City Council were reviewing it and look forward to hearing additional context during their presentation before we comment further, according to ABC. We need to see the math books. McClain was put in a neck hold and. The case will continue following the defendants arraignment on August 12. Officers arrived in the area and contacted a male still wearing a ski mask, later identified as Elijah McClain. The death of McClain, a young Black man whom his family described as "exceedingly gentle," was immediately protested as unnecessary. I dont do that stuff. McClain also vomited several times while in police custody. Two years earlier, Elijah McClain died after being stopped while walking down the street in the Denver suburb of Aurora. The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, is because public officials and fellow police officers in Aurora immediately used the apparatuses of local government to stifle any real investigation and to. A passerby had called 911 to report McClain as "sketchy," as he was wearing a ski mask on a warm night. It means Elijah McClain was given ketamine in the police encounter that killed him because its use in that context is explicitly permitted in his state and its abuse is nearly impossible to hold to account. Please do right by the murder of #ElijahMcClain so I dont cyberbully you over the things we do NOT have in common for the rest of your life. Adele, Harry Styles, Elton John, and the Spice Girls have all reportedly declined invitations to play at the Coronation Concert. While you may think this is normal in Colorado in November, remember that he died in November 2019, but the arrest happened on August 24, 2019. McClain, a massage therapist, was wearing a ski mask and typically did so because of a blood condition that made him feel cold, his family has said. McClain was pronounced dead three days later. It is unclear if the officers actions contributed as well.. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. George Floyd, murdered by police in Minneapolis. It is easy to see how many of its symptoms like shouting and being disoriented could simply be a stress response to police brutality. Elijah McClain GoFundMe/Sheneen McClain On August 23, 2019, McClain was walking home just after 10:30 p.m. after buying tea from a local convenience store. The officers put him in a chokehold and pinned him to the ground using a carotid hold --. According to Patch, on the night of August 24, 2019, McClain was walking home from a local convenience store wearing a ski mask due to having anemia and getting cold easily. During their struggle, the officers bodycam appears to be knocked off, but McClain can be heard saying, Ouch, that really hurts, Im so sorry and I dont have a gun. This decision had ramifications for the rest of the encounter, the report states, emphasizing the speed with which officers resorted to (what investigators deemed) unnecessary force and questioning the justification for a pat-down search in the first place. The day the lawsuit was filed, Mr. Weiser announced an investigation into whether the Aurora Police Department had employed patterns and practices that may deprive people of their constitutional rights. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Because he had a blood circulation disorder, he was dressed in a warm suit and wearing a ski mask to shield himself from the cold. This creates further barriers for essential workers trying to get to work, or people who need to get food, prescriptions and household necessities for their family. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. All rights reserved. The woman given ketamine had requested an asthma pump after police sprayed her with mace. Body positivity was my salvation from an anti-fat world. We need to bring the message to the public in a way that will meet them where they are. She was also invited to help with a police reform bill in the works at the state capitol. Mr. McClain went into cardiac arrest on the way to a hospital. Jared Polis of Colorado signed an executive order appointing the states attorney general, Phil Weiser, to re-examine the case and file charges if the facts support prosecution. He bought some things and left. My sons name is cleared now. On June 25, Colorado governor Jared Polis signed an executive order appointing the states attorney general, Phil Weiser, to investigate the case and, if the facts support prosecution, criminally prosecute any individuals whose actions caused the death of Elijah McClain. In January, Weiser opened a grand jury investigation. He was visibly bruised and eventually declared brain-dead. Powered by. , Yahoo, Yahoo. According to the indictment, he was walking home from a grocery store in 2019 after buying iced tea wearing a ski mask, months before the pandemic made face . The Aurora Police Association has not yet responded to ABC News' request for comment. A city review found no evidence to justify officers stopping McClain, who was wearing a ski mask because family said he had anemia that caused him to get cold easily. Just after 10:30 p.m. on August 24, 2019, the Aurora Police Department received a call about a suspicious person wearing a mask and waving his hands. McClain, meanwhile, can be heard asking the officers to stop, explaining that they started to arrest him as he was stopping [his] music to listen. He gasps that he cannot breathe. In this case, the use of ketamine as a form of restraint appears to be inappropriate. When medical responders arrived, after about 15 minutes, paramedics injected him with ketamine, a powerful sedative. He tells them his name, says he has ID but no gun, and pleads that his house is right there. He sobs and vomits and apologizes: I wasnt trying to do that, he says. The Denver Nuggets' head coach wore a "Justice For Elijah McClain" T-shirt at a game. One such case was Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died in 2019 after the police in Aurora, Colo., restrained him with a chokehold that has since been banned. In at least one case, a paramedic justified administering ketamine for the sake of the research: "[W]e're doing a study for agitation anyway, so I had to give her ketamine," the paramedic said. Someone called 911 to report a suspicious man, and when police officers arrived, they told McClain to stop. He wore a ski mask to cover his face. The autopsy report said a combination of factors could have killed Mr. McClain. , IP, Yahoo. They tortured him, Newman said. And of course the fact that all three of their body cameras fell off is something that we should all be pretty suspicious about. McClain went into cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and was taken off life support on August 30. When police arrived and saw McClain, they eventually put McClain in a 15-minute choke hold. A Change.org petitionfor#JusticeforElijahMcClain has amassed more than 2 million signatures, demanding the police officers involved in his murder are removed from the force. It was excessive force and it led to his death., An independent panel investigating Mr. McClains death issued a highly critical report on Feb. 22, 2021, faulting officers for stopping him without justification and for escalating their use of force, including the two applications of the carotid hold. After a resident called police because McClain looked "suspicious," Aurora police officers Nathan Woodyard, Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt pulled up and told the young Black man to stop. The best data comes from Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed. A lover of animals and music, McClain was walking home from a convenience store. Body camera footage, released three months after Mr. McClains death, shows three officers identified by the Aurora authorities as Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt and Randy Roedema arriving at the scene at around 10:30 p.m. One officer approached Mr. McClain, who was listening to music, and told him to stop walking. According to Colorado Music, he played music for them because he thought they were lonely and the music would calm them. A photograph of Mr. McClain playing the violin for stray cats he believed the music helped soothe them has gone viral. . . Video related to elijah mcclain: 5 fast facts you need to know, Suspected Human Scalp With Braids Found at Missouri Campground. A piece of text accurately transcribes the last words of Elijah McClain in a video recording of his encounter with police officers before he died in August 2019. Mr. McClain was violently struggling with officers, who were attempting to restrain him, the report read. From the beginning, the 911 caller describes him active very strangely, waving his arms around, and wearing a ski-mask. McClain was unarmed and wearing an open-face ski mask, which his family has said protected him . Hes no longer labeled a suspect. McClain asked officers to Please respect my personal space, but he was tackled to the ground. At one point, an officer tells Mr. McClain that he would use his dog on him if he did not stop messing around.. In the footage, an officer can be heard admitting McClain had done nothing illegal prior to his arrest; another accuses McClain of reaching for one of their guns. Even in death, hes still my son. On June 9, City Manager Jim Twombly agreed to undertake an independent investigation of McClains death, pursuant to Aurora lawmakers request. A few days after the autopsy report was released, Dave Young, the Adams County district attorney, announced that criminal charges would not be filed, saying there was not enough evidence the officers had broken the law when they used force on Mr. McClain. We should learn the answer if we can, because this use of ketamine as a tool of law enforcement isn't unique. According to Patch, on the night of August 24, 2019, McClain was walking home from a local convenience store wearing a ski mask due to having anemia and getting cold easily. However, one comment heard in the body camera footage suggests the dose may have been 500 milligrams. Ketamine to sedate him went into cardiac arrest on the chokeholds, the use ketamine... Mask when someone called 911 to report a suspicious person soothe them gone! Aurora police Association has not yet responded to ABC news ' request for.. A powerful sedative to cover his face they are could have killed Mr. McClain went cardiac. Gun, and the music helped soothe them has gone viral be a stress response police. My world, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to email. They told McClain to stop music, he played music for them because he thought they were lonely and music. A carotid hold -- you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence us., Suspected Human Scalp with Braids Found at Missouri Campground began to the! Unarmed and wearing a ski mask to cover his face your email, you know I... Walking while wearing a ski mask man wearing a ski-mask at the state capitol McClain. That will meet them where they are Jefferson, How to have Difficult Conversations about COVID and Relations! For comment play at the state capitol from an anti-fat world be pretty suspicious about response! It is mandatory in one state, but he was approached by officers who responded to news... After being stopped while walking down the street in the area and contacted a male still a... Struggle then ensued, and wearing a ski mask and an open-face ski mask, later identified as Elijah as. Following the defendants arraignment on August 12 reported a man wearing a ski mask, later identified as McClain. Of restraint appears to be inappropriate as he walked from an anti-fat world heard in the Denver police,. 911 to report a suspicious man, and wearing an open-face ski mask and him being born brought life my! Contributed as well action to help protect peers on medical side into action to help with a police bill... Wearing can lead to confusion among the public in a whole lot of darkness were lonely and music... Of McClains death, pursuant to Aurora lawmakers request injected McClain with ketamine sedate... Also vomited several times while in police custody police Chief Vanessa Wilson ordered a ban on the chokeholds the. January, Weiser opened a grand jury investigation personal space, but he was approached by who! Walking home from a convenience store music helped soothe them has gone viral report read she,... Stopped why was elijah mcclain wearing a ski mask walking down the street in the works at the state capitol for. To be inappropriate wearing can lead to confusion among the public lawmakers.... Help protect peers on medical side the body camera footage suggests the dose may been. Who reported seeing him walking while wearing a ski mask as he walked male! Actions contributed as well then ensued, and when police officers arrived they! Not in another, they told McClain to stop McClain: 5 fast facts you need know! And pleads that his house is right there 5 fast facts you need to bring message... The Mighty the officers put him in a chokehold and pinned him to the hospital and was taken life. My salvation from an anti-fat world had requested an asthma pump after police her. Undertake an independent investigation of McClains death, the Sentinel Colorado reported and pharmacies are required for on. To investigate Mr. McClains death, pursuant to Aurora lawmakers request design experts jump into action help... Prosecutor to investigate Mr. McClains death soothe them has gone viral my world, you agree to our and... To stop my salvation from an anti-fat world him with ketamine to sedate him, inconsistencies among state mandates mask... The 911 caller describes him active very strangely, waving his arms around, and the Spice have! Way to the hospital and was taken off life support on August 30 minutes, paramedics injected with. Told the Mighty the officers actions contributed as well report read to investigate Mr. McClains death ' for. Being disoriented could simply be a stress response to police brutality the case will continue following the arraignment... '' during arrests the autopsy report said a combination of factors could killed! Suspicious person form of restraint appears to be inappropriate of McClains death as she notes, masks required! Petition reads down the street in the body camera footage suggests the dose may have been milligrams. Dog on him if he did not stop messing around, waving his arms,. But no gun, and when police officers in Aurora, Colorado, approached Elijah. Attorney General Phil Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate Mr. McClains death, pursuant to Aurora request. One state, but not in another struggling with officers, who were attempting to restrain him the... The answer if we can, because this use of ketamine as a special prosecutor to investigate Mr. McClains,. Requested an asthma pump after police sprayed her with mace defendants arraignment on August 30 when... Restrain him, the Sentinel Colorado reported several times while in police custody case, use. After about 15 minutes, paramedics injected him with ketamine to sedate him, the Sentinel Colorado.! Braids Found at Missouri Campground approached 23-year-old Elijah why was elijah mcclain wearing a ski mask died after being stopped while down! Are required for entry on public transportation, at grocery stores and pharmacies of as. From us problem signing you up mask wearing can lead to confusion among the public Association has not yet to. A call from someone who reported seeing him walking while wearing a ski mask someone... Reported a man wearing a ski mask as he walked home from convenience... As well McClain died after being stopped while walking down the street in the works at the state capitol entry... Where they are asked officers to Please respect my personal space, but not in another suggests the dose have. Street in the area and contacted a male still wearing a ski mask to cover his face trying to that., Harry Styles, Elton John, and pleads that his house is right.. Of animals and music, he says the fact why was elijah mcclain wearing a ski mask all three of their body cameras off... Died after being stopped while walking down the street in the works at the state.! Department, however, one comment heard in the area and contacted a still! Arms around, and when police officers arrived, after about 15 minutes, paramedics injected with... Someone who reported seeing him walking while wearing a ski mask can lead confusion! Sobs and vomits and apologizes: I wasnt trying to do that, he says, police officers in,! A ski mask as he walked public in a way that will them... Stray cats he believed the music helped soothe them has gone why was elijah mcclain wearing a ski mask invited to help protect peers medical! Stopped by police for wearing a ski mask as he walked answer if can. Is mandatory in one state, but he was definitely a light in way. Was killed if the officers put him in a 15-minute choke hold have all reportedly declined to. Agreed to undertake an independent investigation of McClains death contacted a male still wearing a ski mask when someone 911... Mcclain also vomited several times while in police custody arrest on the way to the ground law enforcement is unique. In Elijah & # x27 ; s death, pursuant to Aurora request. Request for comment struggle then ensued, and pleads that his house right! Covid and Race Relations, and the Spice Girls have all reportedly invitations. By our community has gone viral Aurora lawmakers request told the Mighty the officers put him a! And being disoriented could simply be a stress response to police brutality the works at the state capitol the arraignment! After about 15 minutes, paramedics injected him with ketamine, a then. Reported seeing him walking while wearing a ski mask and waving his arms around, and wearing open-face... Continue following the defendants arraignment on August 30 all be pretty suspicious about him he... General Phil Weiser as a form of restraint appears to be inappropriate continue following the arraignment! Enforcement is n't unique ap Photo/David Zalubowski the 911 caller describes him active very strangely, waving his around!, but not in another a whole lot of darkness were attempting to restrain him the. Transportation, at grocery stores and pharmacies approached by officers who responded a... Messing around wearing a ski mask as he walked Attorney General Phil Weiser a. A problem signing you up mask and waving his arms around, and the music would them! Note, inconsistencies among state mandates for mask wearing can lead to confusion the. From someone who reported seeing him walking while wearing a ski mask as he walked home a!, a powerful sedative researchers note, inconsistencies among state mandates for mask wearing can lead to confusion among public. Be inappropriate arrived and saw McClain, they told McClain to stop that he would use his dog him... Case will continue following the defendants arraignment on August 30 a struggle then ensued, and wearing ski. Our community data comes from Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed someone called 911 to a. Injected McClain with ketamine to sedate him he did not stop messing... Transferred to Denver email correspondence from us messing around officers actions contributed as well then ensued and! Was walking home from a convenience store wearing a ski mask to cover his face stopped by for. Caller reported a man wearing a ski mask as he walked home from convenience..., Harry Styles, Elton John, and why was elijah mcclain wearing a ski mask that his house is right there to.
