Footage released of police custody death in Milford, Connecticut

MILFORD, Connecticut — NOTE: The above video originally aired on Saturday, June 8.

Milford police say they have released all bodycam and surveillance footage of a man’s arrest at a local Big Y before he died in police custody.

The videos show additional footage of police interactions with 52-year-old Michael Brown, including when they found him in the parking lot, the struggle in his car that lasted nearly two minutes, his arrest, and then paramedics’ interactions with Brown as they placed him on a stretcher.

Click here to view Video 1, Video 2, Video 3, Video 4 and the Big Y surveillance. Watching these videos may be disturbing.

Milford police said officers found Brown at Big Y on the morning of June 5 after investigating an earlier call to the local Stop & Shop, where shoplifting deterrent employees identified Brown as a shoplifting suspect. Officers were aware of the numerous outstanding warrants for Brown’s arrest.

When police found Brown, they ordered him to stop and followed him to his car.

According to Milford police, Brown gave police a false name. In body camera footage, Brown can be heard referring to himself as Peter while speaking to police.

After police tell Brown not to get in his car, a struggle ensues. Milford police said officers tried to stop Brown from starting the engine and driving away. The car’s horn can be heard honking and a dog barking on bodycam videos.

“My leg is broken!” Brown can be heard saying to police several times in the bodycam video. He can also be heard saying, “I can’t breathe.”

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Milford firefighters rendered medical aid, officials said. Police handcuffed Brown and sat him upright, correcting his position several times, Milford police said.

In the body camera footage, Brown told paramedics he was “spitting up blood.” He also asked for water, which he said paramedics were unable to give him. He continued to tell paramedics he couldn’t breathe and his leg hurt as they placed him on the stretcher.

While being taken to a nearby hospital, Brown stopped breathing and was pronounced dead there, according to the Office of the Inspector General, which has launched an investigation into Brown’s death in custody.

“We welcome this investigation by the Inspector General and, upon its completion, will conduct our own internal review to ensure that all MPD policies were followed during this encounter,” Milford Police Chief Keith Mello said in a press release.

On Saturday, a rally was held at the Big Y demanding “Justice for Michael Brown” and the release of all bodycam footage.

“The accusation of shoplifting is not a death sentence and it should not be,” said a speaker at the rally on Saturday.

According to the Inspector General, an autopsy was performed last week, but the results have not yet been released. The Inspector General continues to investigate this in-custody death.

Death in custody following arrest in Milford grocery store parking lot under investigation: Inspector General

Man dies in police custody in Milford on Wednesday

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