Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing Mitchell’s family, said in a statement that witnesses to the June 30 incident reported seeing one of the guards “hit him over the head with an object.” Police did not address the allegations.
“The death of another Black man during an encounter with security is deeply disturbing and raises serious concerns about the use of force, lack of accountability and lack of attention to mental health,” Crump said in a statement, adding: “The circumstances of Mr. Devontay’s death outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel are disturbing and, according to witnesses, are reminiscent of the murder of George Floyd.”
Floyd, a Black man, died in 2020 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes in Minneapolis, sparking a wave of global protests against racism. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted and sent to federal prison.
According to police, they were called to the Hyatt at approximately 3:20pm on June 30th for a disturbance. Police received a call that the individual began fighting while being escorted outside. Upon arriving, officers found the individual unresponsive and attempted “life-saving measures” to no avail.
Crump’s statement identified the man as Mitchell and said his mother “believes he suffered from a mental illness.”
“Shocking cell phone video corroborates the testimony of multiple witnesses,” the statement added. “Mr. Dvontaye’s family is now facing this tragic loss and seeking answers and justice.”
It’s unclear what happened just before or after the video was taken. One video aired by local media shows a security guard yelling at the person who filmed it, “This is what happens when you go into the ladies’ room.” Aimbridge Hospitality, which operates the hotel, did not immediately respond to questions about whether Mitchell had entered the ladies’ room.
Mitchell’s mother, Brenda Giles, said at a news conference near the hotel on Monday that Mitchell’s family and legal team should be shown the full footage of what happened that day, adding: “I want justice for my son.”
“From when he got here, when he went in there, when he ran into this bathroom — we should be able to see it all. Why won’t they let us see?” asked Mitchell’s sister, Nyisha Mitchell.
Milwaukee police said they are investigating the incident and Mitchell’s cause of death.
“This matter has been referred to authorities for further investigation. No charging decisions are anticipated at this time,” the Milwaukee District Attorney’s Office told The Post on Tuesday.
The Milwaukee County Coroner’s Office announced on July 1 that Mitchell’s cause of death was tentatively ruled a homicide, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The coroner’s office defined a homicide in 2018 as “a death ‘at the hands of another,’ regardless of intent,” and said it bases its determination solely on “the medical evidence existing at the time of the investigation” and that the determination does not necessarily mean someone else is legally responsible for the death.
The office did not respond to a request for comment early Tuesday.
Giles told Milwaukee NBC affiliate WTMJ that Mitchell was a “loving son, brother, uncle and father,” but she said he had changed since losing his father in 2016.
Neisha Mitchell said her brother then fell into depression and was “trying to work through it himself.”
She told WISN 12 News that the security team “should have been trained to handle situations like this. Mental illness is real.”
“Our deepest condolences go out to D’Vontae Mitchell’s family, all who knew and loved him, and the Milwaukee community during this tragic incident,” a Hyatt spokesperson said.
A spokesperson said the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee is “operated by Aimbridge Hospitality, which is responsible for the management of hotel employees, including any disciplinary action taken regarding any individuals involved in this incident. Our understanding is that Aimbridge Hospitality is still investigating and has to date suspended the employees involved in this incident.”
An Aimbridge Hospitality spokesman said: “Our deepest condolences go to Mr Mitchell’s family and loved ones. We continue to do all we can to assist the police with their investigation into this incident and will have no further comment at this time. We remain committed to maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for our hotel guests and all our associates.”
