'I weep for all of us.' Canton residents speak out on Frank Tyson's police custody death

CANTON – Residents are once again raising concerns about the actions of Canton police officers and want city officials to hold them accountable.

Seven speakers addressed Canton City Council on Monday to express outrage and sadness for the April 18 death of Canton Township resident Frank Tyson who died while in city police custody. Monday was council’s first meeting since the city released the police body camera video of police officers’ struggle with the 53-year-old Tyson.

Police officials have said that Tyson crashed his car into a utility pole, walked to the nearby private AMVETS club and was acting erratically before officers arrived. The video shows officers arriving and taking Tyson to the floor. While one officer struggles to put Tyson's hands in handcuffs, a second officer keeps a knee on Tyson’s upper back and an unidentified bystander has a knee on Tyson's other shoulder. Tyson remains on the floor face down with his arms handcuffed behind his back for nearly 8 minutes. When an officer realizes Tyson is nonresponsive, he begins chest compressions, the video shows.

Police officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch remain on paid leave while the case is being investigated by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. A cause of death has not been determined.

"Frank Tyson should be with us tonight," said Eric Resnick, who called for an independent investigation, transparency and corrective action.

Resnick said he's previously spoken before council about his concerns with city police officers, including when a Canton officer killed James Williams in 2022 as he was shooting a gun into the air to celebrate the New Year and when police used tear gas on protestors in 2020 who were demonstrating after George Floyd died while in custody of Minnesota police officers.

"I'm hoping to see growth this time," he said.

Skylark Bruce, who has repeatedly called for police reform, said the video shows that officers were not following all of the “8 Can’t Wait” policies city leaders had pledged to follow in 2020 Floyd's death . The policies, created by a national police reform organization, include a requirement that officers first try de-escalation tactics and that officers intervene when witnessing excessive force.

“Any of them could have said, ‘No, we’re taking this too far.’ Their silence speaks to a culture of callousness in the Canton City Police Department,” said Bruce as some audience members snapped their fingers in support. She believes officers should be prosecuted.

Joseph Butts called on the city to review its policies again “to put a leash on the ability of what these police officers are able to do to our citizens.”

“Mr. Tyson may have been breaking the law.  Mr. Tyson may have been combative,” he said. “Neither of those should be punishable by death.”

James Trolio, also known as Brother Yaccob, questioned where America’s humanity has gone. Trolio and other Stark County residents have been attending council meetings for months asking council to pass a resolution that calls for a cease-fire in Gaza. He said he cried while viewing the video of Tyson’s death.

“I’m an old man and I sit in a wheelchair, and I weep for all of us,” he said.

Council members did not directly respond to the speakers, which is their typical protocol for the public speaking session. But three of them – Council members Chris Smith, J. Nate Cooks and Brenda Kimbrough – expressed their condolences to the Tyson family.

Smith and Cooks also encouraged residents to attend a community discussion about Tyson's death on Wednesday. Hosted by the Stark County NAACP and the Greater Stark County Urban League, the "Social Justice Community Conversation" will begin at 5:15 p.m. at Mount Olive Baptist Church at 1403 13th St. SE. Prayers will begin at 5 p.m.

Kimbrough encouraged residents also to attend Stark County's recognition of the National Day of Prayer on Thursday at Centennial Plaza.

Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com .

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 'I weep for all of us.' Canton residents speak out on Frank Tyson's police custody death