South Jersey
Witnesses say Vineland police kicked, punched, & allowed dog to bite Phillip White before he died in custody
Witnesses say Phillip White was kicked, punched, and bitten by police dog while in custody. He later died.
The death of Phillip White, while unarmed and in the custody of Vineland, NJ police, is now being probed.
Details on the arrest
Officials released some details of the arrest of White, which has now gained national attention, but answers are still grim & questions still remain.
According to NBC, officials say the incident began at 10:53 a.m. Tuesday when two Vineland Police officers responded to a call for service for a disorderly person on the 100 block of Grape Street in Vineland. When they arrived they found 32-year-old Phillip White.
“Shortly thereafter, officers called for medical assistance in response to White appearing to be in respiratory distress,” a spokesperson for the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office said. “During the incident White was handcuffed and restrained.”
White was placed in an emergency vehicle and taken to the hospital, according to officials. At some point, White became unresponsive and medical personnel instituted CPR. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital. What remains in question are the events that occurred immediately before White’s death.