D.C. residents have gone awry following the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown.
According to authorities, Hylton-Brown was riding a Revel Electric Moped without a helmet when cops’ attempts to pull him over ended in his collision with another car. Officers performed CPR on the Black man and brought him to the hospital where he died three days later. Per NBC 4, D.C. officers classified the death a traffic fatality, but Hylton-Brown’s family believes he died as a result of the police chase.
Demonstrations have since erupted in the streets of the nation’s capital with protesters calling for the release of bodycam footage and demanding the officers involved in Hylton-Brown’s death be held accountable.
Protesters threw rocks, bricks, and glass bottles at police officers, setting up fireworks and smashing cops’ car windows. Officers responded with percussion grenades and flash bangs. In a video that surfaced the web, officers were seen spraying irritant at the demonstrators.
Following the protests, four of the officers involved in Hylton-Brown’s pursuit were placed on leave.
On Wednesday (Oct. 28), D.C. police said they were ”coordinating with the Department of Behavioral Health to provide the family with the space and trauma-informed support they need to view the body-worn camera footage.” Two videos have since been released. In one of the clips, an officer is heard calling Hylton-Brown by name.
Fox 5 also obtained leaked footage that showed officers pursuing Hylton-Brown — a policy violation for cops citing traffic infractions. The police later issued a statement clarifying they only pulled Hylton-Brown over for not wearing his helmet.
Despite seeing the footage, Hylton-Brown’s mother, Karen Hylton, and the rest of his family are seeking more information.
“The only thing that I’ve seen is the dash camera when they’re basically hunting my son down like a wild animal,” Hylton said. “I want justice.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser called the death as a tragedy and promised to thoroughly investigate the case.