Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday for Frank Tyson, a 53-year-old man who tragically lost his life following his detainment by the police in Ohio last month. During the incident at a social establishment in Canton, Tyson’s hands were restrained behind his back, and he was placed on his stomach.
Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights lawyer Ben Crump addressed Tyson’s memorial at the Hear the Word Ministries church. Police body cameras captured Tyson repeatedly shouting “I can’t breathe” as they held him and forced him to the floor of the AMVETS club, leading to his death on April 18.
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“What message does that send to everyone in here?””You can do this to us,” Sharpton said during his eulogy. “You regard us all as expendable. “And we’re here to tell you that Frank was important to us; his life was valuable to us, and we’re going to fight for the sanctity of Frank Tyson’s life.”
Canton police responded to a call regarding a car accident in which a vehicle collided with an electric pole near the AMVETS facility. According to body camera footage ABC News acquired, officers found Tyson inside the club and immediately asked the woman who invited them in to remove him from the bar.
“Eric Garner said, ‘I can’t breathe,’ but they ignored him. And then George Floyd said, ‘I can’t breathe,’ and they told him, ‘Well, if you’re talking, you can breathe,'” Crump added. “Then we get to Frank Tyson of Canton, Ohio, who says, ‘I can’t breathe.’ And it becomes worse when the police officer yells, ‘Shut the F up.'”
The footage shows officers approaching Tyson while he appears to resist, resulting in a scuffle. One of the officers put a knee on Tyson’s back. About five minutes later, an officer checked Tyson’s pulse. Soon after, officers began performing CPR. Authorities rushed him to Aultman Hospital and pronounced him dead at 9:19 p.m. local time.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office told ABC News that after the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) unit has completed its investigation into Tyson’s death, it would recommend it to the attorney general.
The Attorney General’s Office said in a statement that the Stark County Sheriff’s Office requested BCI to investigate a fatal officer-involved critical incident that occurred involving officers from the Canton Police Department on April 18.
The Canton Police Department notified ABC News that they had no more statements due to the BCI’s ongoing investigation. However, they did issue a statement on April 24, the same day they published the body camera footage.
“The location of the crash, which resulted in the dispatch of Canton police officers, was at the east limits of the city of Canton,” police said in part in an email to ABC News. “The vehicle’s driver, Mr. Tyson, then walked to the AMVETS establishment in Canton Township. Authorities made two 911 calls from the scene to the Stark County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center (STARCOM) before contacting Mr. Tyson.
The Stark County, Ohio, Coroner’s Department did not respond to ABC News’ request for a statement on Tyson’s cause of death. The local police union did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
Tyson had been out of prison for only 13 days after serving 24 years for kidnapping and larceny, according to the Associated Press.
“We only had 13 days before they took his life away again, which was unfortunate because he had a future,” Tyson’s partner, Sabrina Jones, stated. “He was focusing on his future. “He told me he wanted to go to work.”
“The Tyson family will always have my deepest sympathy,” Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II told ABC News in a statement. “Although I am unable to speak specifically about Mr. Tyson because of the ongoing BCI investigation, my staff and I have already spoken with local NAACP and Greater Stark County Urban League leaders.” “I am committed and confident in our ability to navigate this difficult period as a community.”
