Police file murder charges in D’Vontaye Mitchell case, no arrests so far

MILWAUKEE – Hours after family and friends of D’Vontaye Mitchell held a funeral for the man who died while being restrained by security guards outside a downtown Milwaukee hotel, police announced they had filed four murder charges in connection with Mitchell’s death.

Milwaukee police made no formal arrests, Inform our news partners TMJ4 is still not a criminal investigation.

Mitchell was detained outside the Hyatt Regency hotel on June 30. It is still unclear what led to the incident; attorneys representing Mitchell’s family said that video released Wednesday showed Mitchell running into the hotel’s ladies’ restroom from just outside of the camera’s view. Police said security guards became involved in the incident after an altercation and ensuing fight broke out.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office investigates Dvontaye Mitchell’s death as homicide

Both the Rev. Al Sharpton and the national civil rights attorney representing the family, Ben Crump, spoke at Holy Redeemer Church on Thursday and urged the public not to forget Mitchell’s death as the nation’s attention will be on Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention.

“There’s a lot going on in the country right now, but nothing is more important than what they did to D’Vontaye,” Sharpton said.

“His last words were ‘please help me.’ That’s why we’re here to demand justice and tell the community … we’re going to help D’Vontaye,” Crump added.

While he joined Mitchell’s family and community members holding signs outside the Hyatt on Wednesday, Crump said they would make their presence known every day until charges are officially filed. While the hotel itself is in the Republican National Convention’s soft security zone, the sidewalk outside the hotel is technically part of the hard security zone. according to map released by the US Secret Service earlier this year.

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