Five people have been indicted over the 2019 death of a 23-year-old Black man.
As reported by MSNBC, unarmed Elijah McClain was stopped by three white police officers in the Denver suburb of Aurora on August 24, 2019. Officers were responded to calls of a "suspicious-looking" man in the area that reportedly matched McClain's description.
A struggle ensued after McClain - who was autistic - refused to let officers perform a body search, BBC News reports.
McClain can be heard saying on the bodycam footage: "I'm an introvert, please respect my boundaries that I am speaking".
More on this story and the indictments in the video below:After officers believed McClain was reaching for their gun, the 23-year-old was wrestled to the ground and put in a carotid hold.
A district attorney report then details how McClain started to lose consciousness, causing him to be released from the hold. However, McClain then started to struggle again.
The struggle went on for approximately 15 minutes, during which McClain begged the officers to stop and vomited. He also repeatedly told them that he could not breathe.
After calling for assistance, a fire medic injected McClain with 500mg of the sedative ketamine.
When McClain was placed inside the ambulance, the paramedic that administered the drug noted that the 23-year-old's chest "was not rising on its own, and he did not have a pulse".
Elijah McClain - a massage therapist - was declared brain dead on August 27.
Now, two police officers, a former police officer, and two paramedics have been indicted in McClain's death, with each one facing charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Four of the five individuals also face assault charges.
The indictments come after an eight-month Grand Jury investigation.
The Aurora Police Association board of directors in response to the indictments: "Our officers did nothing wrong. Sadly, Mr. McClain died due to a combination of exertion due to his decision to violently resist arrest and a pre-existing heart condition."
The statement added that the "hysterical overreaction to this case has severely damaged the police department".
Per BBC News, McClain's mother, Sheneen, has responded to the indictments by telling the Denver Post: "It's been a two-year battle just to get to this point. It's huge to know they're indicted. But I know it's not over. We still have to go to trial."
McClain's father, LaWayne Mosley, said: "Nothing will bring back my son, but I am thankful that his killers will finally be held accountable."