Death of Colo. man stopped by mental health team ruled homicide
By Elise Schmelzer

The Denver Write-up
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An unarmed Colorado man who was going through a mental overall health disaster past November died after becoming handcuffed and held on the floor by a law enforcement group focused to responding to psychological wellness phone calls — a death that has since been dominated a murder.
Kevin Dizmang, 63, died Nov. 15 after getting contacted by a Colorado Springs community response group comprised of a police officer, a fireplace section paramedic and a psychological health clinician. The staff was dispatched soon after getting a simply call about a male encountering a disaster and destroying the house wherever he lived.
In this undated picture furnished by Kenda James, Kevin Dizmang holds his granddaughter as an infant. The demise of Dizmang, who was handcuffed right after a psychological health staff responded to a connect with of him going for walks out into traffic last 12 months has been ruled a murder, according to an autopsy report produced on Feb. 15, 2023, by legal professionals for his spouse and children. (Photo/Kenda James by means of AP)
The El Paso County Coroner’s Workplace established Dizmang died of a coronary heart attack but dominated his loss of life a murder simply because of how he was restrained. Methamphetamine intoxication, long-term obstructive pulmonary illness, an enlarged heart and other health and fitness conditions contributed to his dying, the coroner found.
Dizmang’s loved ones hopes community authorities will hold the paramedic and police officer liable for Dizmang’s death, attorney Harry Daniels said Wednesday.
“The relatives wishes justice,” he explained.
The Colorado Springs Police Department has not introduced the names of the group reaction staff members.
Body digicam footage produced Wednesday by Daniels demonstrates Dizmang going for walks in the center of Mount Watch Lane in Colorado Springs and speaking unintelligibly as the police officer arrived on scene. The officer told Dizmang to put his arms behind his back and claimed he was not less than arrest.
Dizmang didn’t comply but the officer was in a position to guideline him to the aspect of the highway. The officer, rising increasingly disappointed, ongoing to notify Dizmang to place his hands at the rear of his again and grabbed Dizmang’s arms as he tried to handcuff him, the movie demonstrates.
At the time out of the street, the paramedic took Dizmang to the floor. The officer and the paramedic then held Dizmang to the floor, with the paramedic draping his physique across Dizmang’s vulnerable entire body, the video reveals.
“We’re here to assistance you,” the paramedic claimed.
Dizmang remained vulnerable for about a minute right before the officer and paramedic rolled him about to his side. Dizmang stopped responding to officers though prone. Just after they moved Dizmang to a sitting posture, a bystander can be heard on the video clip telling Dizmang to breathe. Dizmang stopped responding to individuals speaking to him.
Paramedics commenced CPR soon after they placed Dizmang on a stretcher and in an ambulance. He was pronounced useless at a area clinic.
The officer and paramedic were being put on paid out administrative go away while Dizmang’s death was investigated by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Business office, in accordance to a news launch issued by the sheriff’s workplace on Nov. 16.
The investigation has because been turned in excess of to the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office environment, Colorado Springs police spokesman Robert Tornabene said.
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