Protests erupt in New York: Bodycam footage emerged, showing a black man suffocating to death after cops put a hood over his head

Upstate New York filled with protesters after a newly surfaced video revealed how a handcuffed black man was left brain dead by a group of police officers in March. 

• WARNING: The article contains graphic content!
• A video emerged of a 41-year-old black man being left brain dead by Rochester police officers in March.
• Protesters are demanding the cops involved be prosecuted on murder charges. 

Daniel Prude, 41, a father-of-five, died of asphyxiation after the cops put a hood over his head and pressed his face into the ground until he stopped breathing. As reported by Daily Mail, Prude was left brain dead after the incident. He died on March 30 when he was taken off of life support – seven days after the encounter with police in Rochester.

Credits: AP

The horrific incident occurred on March 23, only two months before George Floyd was killed by Minnesota police officers, sparking a massive wave of protests around the world.

Prior to Prude’s encounter with the officers, his brother had called assistance because Daniel was struggling with a mental health episode. He had walked out of his brother’s house at around 3 am in freezing cold weather, wearing nothing but underwear, a tank top, and socks. While making his way through the neighborhood, he started taking his clothes off. According to the police, he also smashed windows on the way. Prude was seen by several people, with at least one calling the cops to report his behavior.

Officer Mark Vaughn from the Rochester PD was the first cop to stop Prude. He pointed a taser at the man and ordered him to lay on the ground and put his hands behind his back. Daniel complied with the orders. Vaughn then handcuffed the man as he lay naked on the ground.

Credits: AP

Clearly still suffering from an episode, Prude started yelling and told the officers he had COVID-19. To shut him down, they put a hood over his head. Shortly after, three of the policemen pushed him into the ground and held him down for more than three minutes. One of the officers used his knee at one point to hold down Prude’s torso, and another held down his legs. This left the man completely motionless.

Credits: Facebook

Prude was taken to a hospital where doctors put him on life support. Tragically, he died only seven days later.

According to the medical examiner, Daniel Prude’s death was a result of a homicide.

When EMTs arrived on the scene, they tell cops not to worry, since PCP causes ‘excited delirium’. One EMT says: “I guarantee you that’s why he coded. It’s not your fault guys.”

Credits: AP

However, the medical examiner stated his death was caused by ‘complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint, excited delirium [and] acute phencyclidine [PCP] intoxication’.

At a Wednesday news conference, while revealing the newly surfaced bodycam footage, Prude’s brother, Joe Prude, said:

“I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched. How did you see him and not directly say, ‘The man is defenseless, buck naked on the ground. He’s cuffed up already. Come on.’ How many more brothers gotta die for society to understand that this needs to stop?”

Credits: AP

It was also revealed that Daniel Prude was taken into custody only several hours earlier for a mental health evaluation due to disturbing suicidal thoughts. According to his aunt, Letoria Moore, he had been traumatized by the deaths of his mother and a brother in recent years, having lost another brother before that.

During the news conference, Ashley Gantt of Free the People ROC said:

“The police have shown us over and over again that they are not equipped to handle individuals with mental health concerns. These officers are trained to kill, and not to de-escalate. These officers are trained to ridicule, instead of supporting Mr. Daniel Prude.”

Protesters gathered outside Rochester’s Public Safety Building, demanding for the cops involved to be charged with murder.

Credits: AP

After discovering the horrific cause of Daniel’s death, his family weighed a wrongful death lawsuit against the police department. Elliot Shields, the attorney representing Prude’s family, said they are willing to ‘sue everyone who is responsible for Daniel Prude’s death’.

There were also growing calls for the officers involved in the incident to be fired at the least and face charges at most. The group of police officers includes Officer Mark Vaughn, Officer Paul Ricotta, Officer Andrew Specksgoor, Officer Josiah Harris, Officer Troy Talladay, and Sgt. Michael Magri. They remain on duty. 

Credits: AP

Following the revealing of the distressing footage, activists gathered in Upstate New York, demanding that officers involved with Prude’s death be prosecuted on murder charges and that they must be removed from the department while the investigation proceeds.

Credits: AP