On April 25, 2022, Officer Steven Sanchez was involved in the death of Herman Whitfield III, a Black man experiencing a mental health crisis. Sanchez and another officer, Adam Ahmad, used a Taser and restrained Whitfield face down, leading to his death. Both officers were indicted on charges including involuntary manslaughter and reckless homicide. A coroner ruled Whitfield’s death a homicide, citing ‘morbid obesity’ and ‘hypertensive cardiovascular disease’ as contributing factors. The officers were acquitted of all charges in December 2024. Whitfield’s family has filed a civil lawsuit against the city and officers, set for trial in July 2025. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/8963f2a4d421e8271aa5572237e356e1?utm_source=openai), [apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/1f4b588f9b9498f259bbc657b4b95d6e?utm_source=openai))
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