Three police officers have been arrested and charged in the killing of an unarmed Black man who pleaded for breath while being restrained in Washington state last year.
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(TACOMA, Wash.) Three police officers have been arrested and charged in the death of an unarmed Black man who said he couldn t breathe while being restrained in Washington state last year.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed felony charges in Pierce County Superior Court on Thursday against three officers with the Tacoma Police Department. Two of the officers, Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins, who are both white, were charged with second-degree murder while the third, Timothy Rankine, who is Asian, was charged with first-degree manslaughter. All three were in custody by Thursday evening and were scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning. ABC News has reached out to their attorneys for comment.
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Prosecutors said the man s last known words were: Can t breathe.
• 12 min read
3 Washington police officers face criminal charges
Video of the incident is being investigated and shows Tacoma officers pinning Mannie Ellis during a confrontation that resulted in his death, March of last year. Ellis’ family said they want justice.Ted S. Warren/AP
Three police officers have been arrested and charged in the death of an unarmed Black man who said he couldn t breathe while being restrained in Washington state last year.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed felony charges in Pierce County Superior Court on Thursday against three officers with the Tacoma Police Department. Two of the officers, Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins, who are both white, were charged with second-degree murder while the third, Timothy Rankine, who is Asian, was charged with first-degree manslaughter.