*Attorney Ben Crump has released a statement in response to the Milwaukee Police’s referral of four felony murder charges to the District Attorney’s Office for staff at the Hyatt Regency Hotel where D’Vontaye Mitchell was killed last month.
Security guards at a Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee restrained Mitchell, a Black man, outside the hotel on June 30, and the incident was partly captured on video. Several hotel employees were fired following the incident, and police have referred four felony murder charges for four people involved in Mitchell’s death.
The homicide investigation is ongoing as investigators await the complete autopsy results for Mitchell. The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office will decide or decline indictments, Fox 6 reports.
Mitchell died after being restrained by four security guards last month. It’s unclear what led up to the fatal encounter and how long it took police to arrive at the scene, CNN reports. The footage, which was posted on social media, shows the security guards pinning Mitchell to the ground while he pleads with them, saying, “please” and “I’m sorry.
A spokesperson for Aimbridge Hospitality said in an email to AP, “The conduct we saw from several associates on June 30 violated our policies and procedures, and does not reflect our values as an organization or the behaviors we expect from our associates,” the spokesperson said. “Following review of their actions, their employment has been terminated. We will continue our independent investigation and do everything we can to support law enforcement with their investigation into this tragic incident.”
New video tonight on @CBS58: at least four security guards restraining Dvontaye Mitchell outside a hotel.
Mitchell is heard saying “Please!” several times as a guard says, “Stay down!” & “Stop fighting!”
The guard also appears to repeatedly hit Mitchell in the head with an object pic.twitter.com/0ehvXqeXJU— Adam Rife (@AdamRifeReports) July 2, 2024
The company did not make clear if all four security guards were fired.
Attorney Crump issued the following statement: “The referral of felony murder charges in the tragic death of D’Vontaye Mitchell is a significant step toward justice. We are grateful for the referral of these charges, as they underscore the severity of the actions that led to D’Vontaye’s sudden and untimely death. We must now press for these charges to be formally filed by the District Attorney’s Office in order for these officers to truly be held accountable.”
Crump added, “While this development cannot undo the pain and loss experienced by D’Vontaye’s family, it is a crucial part of the process to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. Our fight is far from over, and we remain committed to D’Vontaye’s family in their pursuit of justice.”
In a post shared on X/Twitter, Crump said, “Mitchell was experiencing a possible mental health episode when he died during an encounter with security guards.”
Dvontaye Mitchell was experiencing a possible mental health episode when he died during an encounter with security guards outside a Milwaukee hotel. We stand with his family as they search for answers, & we demand a transparent investigation into his disturbing death. pic.twitter.com/XG3nnSVQBz
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 4, 2024
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