Milwaukee hotel death; family of victim represented by Ben Crump
MILWAUKEE - There is new information about a man's death after a fight with hotel security in downtown Milwaukee. FOX6 News has learned a well-known civil rights attorney is now getting involved. That attorney is Ben Crump, who represented the family of George Floyd.
WARNING: Video from this story may be disturbing to some
This story started at the Hyatt Regency on Sunday, June 30. Video shows four men on top of 43-year-old Dvontaye Mitchell outside the hotel.
Milwaukee police say Mitchell caused a disturbance inside the hotel. Witnesses say he locked himself in a bathroom with a woman inside. Police said he fought with security guards as they were removing him from the property. Security held Mitchell until police arrived. But by that time, Mitchell was not breathing.
A police officer started chest compressions before an ambulance showed up. But Mitchell was dead.
"They overdid it. They overdid it, you know. They definitely shouldn't have... He definitely shouldn't be dead," said Nayisha Mitchell, Dvontaye's sister.
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Milwaukee police say the investigation continues.
Cause of death pending
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office is investigating the death as a homicide, but the cause and manner of death are pending. The Milwaukee Police Department has said it is not currently a criminal investigation.
Dvontaye Mitchell
On Monday, Mitchell's family said Dvontaye struggled with mental illness.
"He did have, like, a mental illness, so when you hear the stories about him going into the hotel causing a disturbance, that very well may have happened. But, he could've been having some type of breakdown, some type of mental breakdown," Mitchell said.
"Nobody's saying anything, and we're not just gonna sit here and not do anything," said Latrisa Giles, Dvontaye's cousin.
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On Wednesday, a family member told FOX6 News a news conference is planned for next week.
Mitchell's funeral is set for later that week.