Four Hyatt Regency workers in Milwaukee are facing charges in the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell, a Black man who was punched and beaten with a broom during a confrontation with the workers. The incident occurred on June 30, and three security guards and a front desk agent at the hotel are now facing charges of felony murder. Mitchell was held down for about nine minutes, drawing comparisons to the murder of George Floyd.
The incident began as Mitchell ran into a women’s bathroom in the hotel, where he was pulled out by one of the workers. The struggle continued in the lobby, where Mitchell was punched, beaten with a broom, and surrounded by the workers, preventing him from reentering the hotel. Eventually, all four men tackled Mitchell in the hotel driveway, with some punching and kicking him. Mitchell was held down for about eight or nine minutes until he stopped showing signs of life. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner determined that Mitchell had drugs in his system and died from restraint asphyxia.
The charges against the workers come after days of protests and demonstrations from Mitchell’s family and supporters calling for justice. While the charges have brought some hope to Mitchell’s family, they feel that the arrests are long overdue, given the existence of video evidence of the incident. The district attorney has stated that the charges were the result of an extensive review of the evidence collected by the police and medical examiner’s office. Mitchell’s family continues to seek full justice and convictions for all involved in the incident.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com