A 23-year-old man died as paramedics injected him with ketamine after a violent arrest, an autopsy report has revealed.
Elijah McClain, an unarmed Black man, passed away after a confrontation with officers in Aurora, Colorado, on August 24, 2019.
The man, who worked as a massage therapist and self-taught musician, was walking home when he was detained by cops responding to an emergency call that someone was acting "sketchy".
He was put in a cartoid chokehold - which restricts blood flow to the brain - and paramedics injected him with ketamine, a powerful sedative.
Mr McClain went into cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital, where he died on August 27, 2019.
Just under a year before George Floyd was killed in police custody under similar circumstances, Mr McClain told officers: "I can't breathe."
Mr Clain's death sparked protests around Colorado, with people calling for police officers and paramedics to be held accountable.
The original autopsy report, published months after he died, stated there was not enough evidence to determine the man's cause of death.
However, a new report has now been released which took into account "body camera footage, witness statements, and additional records".
Even though the report still lists the manner of death as "undetermined", as opposed to homicide or accident, forensic pathologist Stephen Cina said the injection was excessive for the man, who was "extremely sedated".
Mr Cina wrote: "Simply put, this dosage of ketamine was too much for this individual and it resulted in an overdose, even though his blood ketamine level was consistent with a ‘therapeutic’ blood concentration.
"I believe that Mr McClain would most likely be alive but for the administration of ketamine."
The expert added: "It is my opinion that he likely would have recovered if he did not receive this injection."
Following McClain's death, felony charges were filed against three police officers and two paramedics, Lt. Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper.
Prosecutors noted: "Mr McClain was a normal healthy 23-year-old man prior to encountering law enforcement and medical response personnel.
"A forensic pathologist opined that the cause of death for Mr McClain was complications following acute ketamine administration during violent subdual and restraint by law enforcement and emergency response personnel, and the manner of death was homicide."
The police officers and paramedics did not enter pleas and are due in court on November 4.
The Mirror has contacted Aurora Police Department for comment.
