Disturbing incident as police officer, away from duty, strangles cellphone grabber, eliciting pleas from witnesses to halt the act.
Title: Off-Duty Cop Under Fire for Deadly Chokehold: Casual Dinner Turns Lethal in Madrid
Hold on tight for this jaw-dropping account of a tragic incident that unfolded just last Tuesday. Our story starts with an off-duty Spanish cop enjoying a bite to eat with a buddy, but it quickly escalates into a harrowing ordeal over a stolen phone.
Bystanders captured the entire incident on camera – a disturbing spectacle showing the cop pursuing the thief down the city streets before pinning him to the ground in a chokehold. Distressing screams echo through the clip, local residents pleading for the officer to let the suspect breathe.
But the cop shows no signs of relenting. A television personality shouts, "For the love of God, let him breathe!" Yet, the officer takes no notice and instead continues to press down on the suspect's neck.
Emergency services soon arrive at the scene and desperately attempt to save the suspect, who eventually suffers from cardiac arrest and is pronounced dead shortly after.
The local authorities confirmed in a statement that a 36-year-old man died due to asphyxiation after 30 minutes of being desperately resuscitated by medical professionals. Stunned officers arrested the unnamed cop who appeared in court the very next day.
Frustration and outrage have swept across Spain, with many comparing the incident to the controversial killing of George Floyd in 2020, where a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the victim's neck for nine minutes leading to his untimely demise.
On social media platforms, the public voiced their dismay and anger over the incident. "I can't breathe." Those were the tragic last words uttered by George Floyd, a New York victim of police asphyxiation, echoing the sentiment of this recent Madrid tragedy.
One user shares their outrage, stating "A mere phone is worth more than a person's life. What a repugnant society!"
Spain's progressive party, Más Madrid, has also taken to the social media battleground, calling the assault a reflection of how institutional racism and abuse of power are seemingly accepted in the country's law enforcement.
A spokesperson for the party stated, "Two police officers, who were possibly under the influence of alcohol, have murdered a person in Torrejón. This underscores how institutional racism and abuse of power has become normalized, even outside of working hours. We demand an immediate investigation into this apparent murder due to asphyxiation caused by a police officer in Torrejón."
Unfortunately, similar incidents have occurred in Madrid before. Back in 2018, protests broke out in the city after a Senegalese vendor was shot dead by police. Clashes between protesters and law enforcement ensued, resulting in 19 protesters and 10 police officers being injured.
Stay tuned for more stunning coverage of this developing story as new details unfold.
Footnote:[1] Investigations and potential charges are pending against the off-duty Spanish police officer.
[2] If convicted, the officer may face consequences for the use of lethal force in a manner deemed unjustified in the situation.
[3] In light of this incident, there may be increased scrutiny of law enforcement practices surrounding the use of force on suspects and fledgling calls for reform in Spain's police protocols.
In light of the recent incident involving an off-duty cop using a deadly chokehold on a suspect, sparking outrage and comparisons to the George Floyd case, the progressive party, Más Madrid, has called for an immediate investigation and reform in Spain's police protocols related to the use of force, expressing concerns about institutional racism and abuse of power within the police force. The general-news story unfolds in the backdrop of a history of controversial police incidents such as the 2018 shooting of a Senegalese vendor in Madrid, highlighting the need for politics to address these issues and ensure justice for all citizens under crime-and-justice proceedings.
