Milford police release surveillance video, bodycam footage of Michael Brown's in custody death

0:00 - Surveillance video
5:32 - Body cam 1
19:40 - Body cam 2
35:36 - Body cam 3
37:11 - Body cam 4
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Milford police released additional body camera and surveillance footage on Tuesday of officers arresting a man who later died.

Michael Brown experienced what officials have called a “medical event” after being taken into custody Wednesday in the parking lot of the Big Y on Boston Post Road in Milford. Emergency medical services administered Narcan, a medication commonly used to treat opioid overdoses.

His cause and matter of death have not yet been determined. The Connecticut Office of the Inspector General is looking into his death.

In a written announcement on Tuesday, Milford Police Chief Keith Mello expressed his condolences and released additional video.

“Because of the seriousness of this tragedy, I think that it is important that the public have the opportunity to view all of the body camera footage from the officer’s cameras [sic], as early as possible,” he wrote.

Brown was accused of trying to steal $648 in non-food items from a Stop and Shop, and was later found at the Big Y, according to police. He had eight warrants at the time.

Mello said that Brown lied about his name when officers approached him, and that he then went into his vehicle and tried to start it. Surveillance footage from the parking lot shows multiple officers dragging him from his vehicle. After being taken from the car, he’s heard saying, “I told you, can’t breathe.” An officer responds with, “When we ask you to do something, you gotta do it.”

Soon after, another officer says, “Hey, what is your ailment? Are you hurt? What’s the problem?” Brown answers that his leg was broken, later adding that it had been broken for a year.

Mello said officers kept him handcuffed as they turned him onto his side and sat him upright. Mello said officers adjusted his position multiple times.

He later died at Milford Hospital.

“We welcome this investigation by the Inspector General and upon its conclusion, we will conduct our own internal review to ensure that all MPD policies were adhered to during this encounter,” Mello wrote, adding, “I encourage the public to withhold judgment until the final report by the Inspector General’s Office, including the findings of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Toxicology Results.”