Video Shows Black Man Pleading ‘I Can’t Breathe’ During 2019 Arrest in Oklahoma

Another officer holds her knee across Mr. Scott’s shoulders. After the officers restrain Mr. Scott’s hands, they roll him onto his side, into what Captain Withrow called a “recovery position” that would allow “for a better opportunity to breathe and relax while they maintain control of the suspect.”

After several minutes, an ambulance arrives. Mr. Scott can be heard crying and being told to “quit fighting.” As he is lifted toward a stretcher, he jumps up, kicks outward and then falls again. Later, in the ambulance, body cam footage shows one of the officers performing CPR.

Mr. Scott was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Captain Withrow said that investigations of Mr. Scott’s death conducted by the Police Department, district attorney’s office and medical examiner’s office showed there was “no indication of any wrongdoing.” He said the officers straddling Mr. Scott were conducting “academy taught” maneuvers.

He also said that “once they had any indication that there was any medical distress, they called for medical assistance immediately and began to monitor the subject.”

The district attorney for Oklahoma County, David Prater, could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

Asked about the officer who replied “I don’t care” to Mr. Scott, Captain Withrow said: “During the heat of a conflict like that, certainly that may be something an officer says, just understand the officers are fighting with someone at that point.”