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Bodycam footage shows moments leading up to man’s death in police custody

Footage released from man’s death in policy custody

DE MOTTE, Ind. (WISH) — A Jasper County family says their loved one died in police custody after having two seizures. Now, released body camera footage shows the moments that led up to his last breath.

On Sept. 8, 26-year-old Rhyker Earl had two seizures at home. Medical professionals treated him for the first and told him he did not need to go to the hospital.

When another came on, his family called 911 and officers arrived to their De Motte house.

When Jasper County officers got to the home, Earl was still confused after the seizure.

As he was getting dressed and preparing to go to the hospital, his attorney says he tipped over and bumped into an officer.

“”Hey! Don’t f****** touch the medic,” an officer was heard telling Earl in the video. “You’re going to the hospital. Don’t f****** hit him.”

The footage goes on to show officers wrestle Earl to the ground and bring him into a different area of the home, which appears to be the kitchen.

“Hands behind your back,” an officer yelled. “Hands behind your back, now.”

“Guys, please,” Earl said. “Guys, why are you doing this to me?”

Officers then place Earl in handcuffs while he is on the ground.

EMS and the officers give Earl three separate shots. His family says they were sedatives.

The encounter between Earl and officers goes on for another thirty minutes while they ask him to “calm down.”

“It’s ok, Rhyker,” one officer said. “Just stop moving. If you stop moving, everything will be alright.”

“Guys, please,” Earl said. “Guys. I am going to die.”

After each of the shots were administered, Earl becomes quiet and his family in the house begins to ask questions.

“Is he ok?” his mom asked.

The video shows the officers place Earl on a backboard and begin CPR. Around the same time, officers cut the handcuffs off of Earl.

He is eventually taken out of the house and into an ambulance.

According to Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson Sr., Earl later died at the hospital.

“In the body-worn camera video, Mr. Earl is seen forcefully banging his head on the floor,” Sheriff Williamson wrote in the release distributed by Indiana State Police. “Deputies immediately asked the family for a pillow and placed it under his head to prevent Mr. Earl from injuring himself. His head was lying on the pillow; his breathing was not restricted. In addition, the video clearly shows deputies were restraining Mr. Earl by his legs, arms, and shoulders. Per training, deputies were holding him in such a way that would not restrict breathing, and Mr. Earl was vocalizing during the entire incident. Deputies also placed Mr. Earl on his side, also known as the ‘recovery position.’”

Sheriff Williamson also said Earl was not under arrest but was placed in handcuffs “for his own safety” during the medical emergency. “Mr. Earl was in an excited state and did not respond to pleas from deputies or his family to remain calm. Sadly, Mr. Earl ultimately became unresponsive, was taken to the hospital, and later passed away.”

The sheriff’s statement criticized the attorneys for the Earl family for spreading what he calls inaccuracies about what happened. “In an apparent attempt to set the table for a civil claim, he has gaslit this community and the nation with gross falsehoods concerning the actions of our deputies.”

Earlier this month, state police said they were investigating the incident and were looking into whether any law enforcement or EMS could be criminally charged.

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