- Slug: BC-CNS-Lethal Restraint Ketamine,1890 words.
- 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).
By Caralin Nunes, Wyatt Myskow and Grace Copperthite
Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic Jeremy Cooper stood above the slight 23-year-old man as he lay face down in the grass, a policeman’s knee in his back, wrists handcuffed and pulled high behind him.
For roughly six minutes, Cooper observed the man crying, gagging and calling out for help while being pinned face down by two officers. The paramedic asked no questions and performed no physical exam before deciding that the young man was suffering from “excited delirium” — a controversial term used to describe people displaying extremely agitated behavior.
“So, when the ambulance gets here,” Cooper can be heard saying on body camera footage, “we’re gonna go ahead and give him some ketamine.” Continue reading “Ketamine: An alternative to police force or a silent killer?”