‘I can’t breathe’: How a Black man's death in Ohio reminds of George Floyd's killing, systemic racism

Ohio police released video of Frank Tyson, a 53-year-old Black man, who died at a local hospital after repeatedly telling officers “I can’t breathe” as they pinned him to the floor of a bar and handcuffed him. The clip brings up chilling memories of the killing of George Floyd. At the epicentre of Tyson’s death, like that of Floyd, is the United States police system. The focus is once again on racial bias in the US Law Enforcement.

We tell you how Tyson was killed, why it has dredged up painful memories of George Floyd’s manslaughter, and about the systemic racial bias in the police forces in the US.

‘I can’t breathe’, said Frank Tyson

The incident unfolded on April 18. Canton police officers responded to a report of a car crash involving a vehicle that had struck an electrical pole. An eyewitnesses said that the culprit had fled to a nearby bar. Following this lead, the police enter a tavern, where they identify Tyson as the potential driver who had fled the scene.

Body camera footage captured a chaotic confrontation inside the establishment. Officers attempted to apprehend Tyson, who kept shouting, “They are trying to kill me”. During the scuffle, the policemen manage to wrestle Tyson to the ground and handcuff him. One of them places a knee on his back, dangerously close to his neck, for 30 seconds.

He can be heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe. I can’t… get off my neck,” as an officer yells “Calm down” and “You’re fine”.

As the minutes passed, Tyson’s voice faded; he became motionless and unresponsive. The officers continue speaking with bar patrons. One of them even said that he always wanted to be in a bar fight.

The body camera footage shows the officers’ delayed realisation of Tyson’s critical state. They began CPR and called for medical assistance, but it was too late. Tyson was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

‘I can’t breathe’, George Floyd had said

The cries of “I can’t breathe” are reminiscent of the painful death of George Floyd, whose death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer became a rallying point for protestors across the US.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was detained by police following an accusation of using a counterfeit $20 bill. The encounter quickly escalated, leading to Floyd being pinned down by three officers. Derek Chauvin, one of the officers, placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, a position he maintained despite Floyd’ repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe” and begging him to get off.

Floyd’s ordeal was captured by a bystander. The video later went viral and was seen globally. His death not only sparked widespread protests across the United States but also triggered conversations on systemic racism and police brutality. The public outcry led to calls for substantial police reforms and a reevaluation of policing in America, particularly regarding the treatment of Black individuals.

That is a problem the US has long had.

Systemic racism in US law enforcement

The deaths of Tyson, Floyd, and thousands of other Black people, demonstrate a pervasive and deep-rooted issue of systemic racism within US police forces.

In a 2023 report, the United Nations International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the Context of Law Enforcement found that racism in the US– the enduring legacy of slavery and slave trade, and one hundred years of legalised apartheid that followed slavery’s abolition– continues to exist today in the form of racial profiling, police killings, and many other human rights violations.

The report pointed out that Black individuals in the United States are three times more likely to be killed by police compared to white people, and they face imprisonment at a rate 4.5 times higher than that of whites.

The report expressed profound concern over the treatment of certain individuals, including children of African descent receiving life sentences, pregnant women in jails being chained during childbirth, and Black people in prisons being held in solitary confinement for up to 10 years.

Furthermore, the accountability in cases involving police killings remains shockingly low. Analysis indicates that of the more than 1,000 police killings occurring each year, only about 1 per cent lead to officers being charged.

This lack of accountability perpetuates a cycle of violence and mistrust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, particularly communities of color.

Although police body cameras have caught officers in unjust violence, much of the general public views the problem as anomalous. “Despite what many people in low-income communities of colour think about police officers, the broader society has a lot of respect for police and thinks if you just get rid of the bad apples, everything will be fine,” Sandra Susan Smith, a professor of criminal justice Harvard Kennedy School, was cited as saying in The Harvard Gazette. “The problem, of course, is this is not just an issue of bad apples,” Smith noted, pointing to glaring systemic flaws.

The call for systemic change is echoed by civil rights groups and international observers who demand a comprehensive overhaul of policing practices. They advocate for the implementation of rigorous training on bias recognition, the adoption of strict use of force protocols, and the establishment of more effective systems of accountability.

With inputs from agencies