'You're killing him': Witnesses say man was trying to protect women at Port Huron's Roche Bar before death
PORT HURON, Mich. (FOX 2) - Witnesses say a man was trying to protect women before his death at a Port Huron bar over the weekend.
Joshua Conant, 26, stopped breathing while being held down by security guards at the Roche Bar just after 2 a.m. Saturday.
"People were everywhere; there had to be at least 50 people - phones videoing and screaming you’re killing him, get him off, take him out of the cuffs, that’s not how you do it, nobody listens," said Patty James, a witness.
Video shows guards on top of Conant outside the bar on Quay Street near Michigan Street.
"The police officer comes up and says, ‘Stop resisting,’ and people in the crowd are like ‘he’s not resisting, he's not even breathing. Get off of him,'" James said.
Police started CPR on Conant before he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses say Conant was not involved in a physical fight before his death. They say he was verbally trying to protect women who were being harassed at the bar.
An investigation is ongoing. Once completed, investigators say their findings will be sent to the prosecutor's office for potential charges.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the Michigan State Police at 989-673-2156, the Port Huron Police Department at 810-984-2378, or St. Clair County Central Dispatch at 810-985-8115.