An autistic Asian man has died after being restrained by police at a bowling alley in Omaha, Nebraska, FOX 42 reports.
Police responded to a disturbance call at on September 9 at West Lanes Bowling Center near 72nd and Dodge Streets around 1:46 p.m. A bystander called 911 to report that 30-year-old Eric Liao was “out of control.” Liao was allegedly biting his caregiver and had to be held down by staff members.
When police arrived on the scene they found a staff member restraining Liao on the ground. They handcuffed Liao and realized shortly after that he was unresponsive, Omaha World-Herald reports. An officer began administering CPR.
Liao was taken by ambulance to Method Hospital and declared dead around 2:31 p.m.
According to FOX 42, an initial look at police body camera footage showed that the officers did not use force to restrain Liao or hold him down. However, officials from Nebraska State Patrol and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office will investigate Liao’s death, as is the policy for in-custody deaths.
According to the Omaha World-Herald, the findings of the investigation will also be presented to a grand jury.
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