RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Newly obtained surveillance video and 911 call audio reveal more about the timeline of events surrounding the death of 28-year-old Irvo Otieno while in the custody of Henrico sheriff’s deputies.
Surveillance video obtained and reviewed by 8News, which does not include sound, shows as many as 10 sheriff’s deputies and personnel at Virginia’s Central State Hospital pinning a handcuffed and shackled Otieno to the ground for over 11 minutes until he’s motionless.
The footage, obtained through a dropbox link in public court records, shows Otieno being dragged into the hospital at 4:19 p.m. on March 6, being restrained and pressed to the floor in a hospital admissions room and unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him after his body goes limp.
Audio recordings also reveal that multiple Central State hospital staff members called 911, telling the operator that Otieno was “no longer breathing” and that he didn’t have a pulse at the time.
The 911 call recordings also show that hospital workers were getting frustrated with the emergency personnel’s response time.
Otieno was admitted to the mental hospital after he was placed under an emergency custody order by law enforcement on March 3. While Dinwiddie Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill has said Otieno was suffocated to death — asphyxiation — an autopsy report has yet to be finalized.
Seven Henrico County sheriff’s deputies and three Central State Hospital staff members were formally indicted on second-degree murder charges in Otieno’s death on Tuesday.
Otieno’s Death: A Timeline of Events
Here’s a timeline of the events leading up to Irvo Otieno’s last moments on March 6.
4:16 p.m. — The Central State hospital surveillance video shows Otieno being brought into the facility by Henrico County sheriff’s deputies. Otieno has handcuffs on his wrists and ankles, with one deputy grabbing his waistband as he’s moved into the hospital.
4:19 p.m. — Otieno is moved into an admissions room at the hospital. He’s led towards a table before being moved against a chair by deputies.
4:20 p.m. — Sheriff’s deputies stand over Otieno with their hands on him as he sits on the floor. A group of sheriff’s deputies and hospital workers huddle around him. Otieno can be seen wiggling his toes in the video.
4:25 p.m. — Otieno is moved to his side as another sheriff’s deputy gets closer to him. A sheriff’s deputy blocks most of the camera’s view of Otieno as he puts his hand on him.
4:26 p.m. — Another sheriff’s deputy begins to help hold Otieno down.
4:27 – 4:30 p.m. — Otieno moves slightly, leading the four sheriff’s deputies to press down on him and four others — three hospital personnel and one more sheriff’s deputy — to join. There is a small struggle as the eight people restrain Otieno, including one who is laying on top of him and others who appear to be resting their knees on him.
4:31 p.m. — There is a struggle as Otieno appears to be trying to move while sheriff’s deputies remain on top of him. The three hospital workers get off of him as seven sheriff’s deputies and another hospital employee restrain and move Otieno.
4:32 p.m. — Six sheriff’s deputies and one hospital staff member can be seen pinning Otieno to the floor, but a view of his body is blocked by the sheriff’s deputies.
4:34 – 4:39 p.m. — Video shows at least two deputies with their knees on Otieno’s body as he’s pinned on the floor. There is a struggle between Otieno and sheriff’s deputies and hospital staff but the camera’s view is blocked.
At least two sheriff’s deputies can be seen with their knees against Otieno and one hospital staff member is laying on top of him. There are as many as 10 people holding onto Otieno and pressing on different parts of his body as hospital staff attempts to restrain him.
4:39 – 4:40 p.m. — A sheriff’s deputy grabs onto Otieno’s wrist and head and appears to shake Otieno’s head before touching his neck as if he’s feeling for a pulse. Otieno, now motionless, is moved to his side as sheriff’s deputies and hospital staff get off of him. A hospital staff member gives Otieno an injection.
The first 911 call comes in around this time. A woman can be heard telling the dispatcher that there’s “an emergency in building 39.” “The patient is a new admission and then he’s very aggressive,” the woman can be heard saying. “So they’re doing a CPR now. There’s no pulse anymore.”
4:42 p.m. – 5:08 p.m. — Hospital staff begins to perform CPR, including chest compressions on Otieno, until emergency personnel arrives at 5:08 p.m.
5:02 p.m. — Another call to 911 is made. The woman at the hospital expresses frustration in an exchange with the dispatcher:
“We have medics en route,” the dispatcher is heard saying.
“You said they were en route the last time,” the woman responds. “How far were they coming from? Were they coming from Southside?”
“Ma’am, they’re coming as quickly as they can. We have a motor vehicle accident also. They’re coming,” the dispatcher says.
“This is just totally unacceptable and y’all know it too,” the woman tells the dispatcher. “Totally unacceptable.”
5:08 – 5:40 p.m. — EMS personnel perform chest compressions and use a defibrillator machine on Otieno.
5:48 p.m. — An EMS worker drapes a white sheet over Otieno’s body.
