What happened to Manuel Ellis?

 

Manuel Ellis was a 33-year-old man who died on March 3, 2020, during an arrest by police officers in Tacoma, Washington. Video of the incident showed Ellis on the ground being struck repeatedly by officers, as a witness shouted "Stop. Oh my God, stop hitting him. Just arrest him," and Ellis pleading with them, saying "I can't breathe". Paramedics attended to him for more than 30 minutes before giving up on trying to resuscitate him. Police have stated that Ellis started the confrontation when he picked up an officer and threw him to the ground, while a witness stated police initiated the confrontation. The officers involved were initially placed on administrative leave, but then were returned to work after the police department ruled there had been no violation of policy. Following the release of witness videos, Tacoma mayor Victoria Woodards requested that all officers involved in Ellis's death be fired and prosecuted. Governor of Washington Jay Inslee said that the state would conduct an independent investigation. 

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Manuel Ellis was a 33-year-old musician at his church and had two children: an 11-year-old son and an 18-month old daughter. Ellis was black. Ellis's family has said that Ellis struggled with addiction and mental health. According to a lawyer for the family, Ellis was walking home after playing drums that evening at his church. He reportedly called his mother, brother and sister separately after leaving the Church. Ellis's mother said that she spoke with him about a half an hour before his arrest and death. 

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Police initially said that Ellis had begun a confrontation by striking a police car, attacking four officers and throwing one officer to the ground.  According to police, they had seen Ellis trying to open the doors of cars with people inside them. A witness, who observed the encounter from a car behind Ellis and the officers, said that Ellis approached their police car and appeared to be engaged in what she thought was a "friendly" conversation with them. Then, the witness said, the officers threw open their door, knocking Ellis to the ground. The witness began taking video footage, which shows officers punching Ellis while he is on the ground. The Pierce County medical examiner ruled that Ellis's death was a homicide, resulting from hypoxia due to physical restraint.  

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The officers involved in Ellis's death were initially placed on administrative leave, but then were returned to work after the police department ruled there had been no violation of policy. After the release of witness videos, Tacoma mayor Victoria Woodards requested that all officers involved in Ellis's death be fired and prosecuted. The officers were again placed on leave. After the Tacoma city council sent a letter requesting an independent review of Ellis's death to Washington governor Jay Inslee, the governor said that the state would conduct an independent investigation. 

 

What can we do? 

 

1. Share his story 

 

2. Sign the petition demanding justice: