Black man dies after being tased by cops filming reality TV show

A black man stopped by Texas cops being filmed by a reality TV show died after being repeatedly tased as he begged, “I can’t breathe” — with the final bolt coming after he cried, “Save me,” police footage shows.

“I have congested heart failure!” Javier Ambler, 40, repeatedly sobbed as officers ordered him to turn face down on the ground after he was chased for refusing to dim his headlights, the newly released footage shows.

Gasping, the former postal worker then begged several times, “I can’t breathe!,” according to the footage of the fatal arrest in Austin in March 2019 that only emerged this week.

“I’m not resisting … Sir, I can’t breathe! Please. Please!” he sobbed, as the arrest was filmed by a crew from A&E’s “Live PD,” which is being accused of refusing to release the footage to investigators.

“Save me,” Ambler begged, just before a Taser was deployed for the final time.

The death has been ruled a homicide — but no disciplinary action or charges have been filed, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

One of the officers was heard admitting he was “pretty sure I just broke his finger” as they cuffed him — with footage showing officers trying to administer CPR as they failed to find a pulse.

Deputies performed CPR for four minutes, and medics worked another 50 minutes before Ambler was declared dead at an Austin hospital, the paper says. A death-in-custody report said he had never tried to assault any of the deputies or make any threats, the American-Statesman said.

Ambler’s parents — a retired Army veteran and a hospital clerk — said that until last week, they had only been told their son died in police custody. “Live PD” never aired the footage.

The police footage and documents only emerged after media pressure from both the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE-TV, they say.

Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore told both media outlets that she plans to present the case to a grand jury.

She accused both Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and “Live PD” producers of repeatedly stonewalling efforts to obtain evidence or interviews, the reports said.

The DA was also concerned that the TV crew may have influenced the officers’ tactics. The officer who chased Ambler, Deputy J.J. Johnson — who is black — had a “Live PD” crew with him, as did his first-responding backup, Deputy Zachary Camden, who is white.

“It is of very serious concern to any of us who are in law enforcement that the decision to engage in that chase was driven by more of a need to provide entertainment than to keep Williamson County citizens safe,” Moore told the outlets.

Ambler’s death was ruled a homicide, but there is no indication that the deputies faced any action or were forced to take time off, the reports said.

An autopsy showed he died of congestive heart failure and hypertensive cardiovascular disease associated with morbid obesity “in combination with forcible restraint,” the two outlets said.

Ambler’s mother, Maritza Ambler, told KVUE-TV that she warned him to be wary when dealing with law enforcement. “I would mention it to him, just to remind him, he is a minority,” she said. “You have that against you, your color.”

His father, Javier Ambler Sr., told the station he has needed help for depression because of the death. “Dads should not have to bury their sons,” he said.

https://nypost.com/2020/06/09/black-man-died-after-being-tased-while-saying-i-cant-breathe/