- 75 Year Old Man Accosted by Blue Island Police Dies
An elderly man -- who was allegedly beaten by Blue
Island police officers during a case of mistaken identity -- has died.
The family of Antonio Manrique said the 75-year-old was jumped by
officers during his walk on Wednesday. Manrique died Sunday. Manrique's
family said the elderly man and his daughter were walking down the alley
when an unmarked police car drove up. Plainclothes officers reportedly
got out of the car, tackling Manrique as they tried to arrest him.
"They came up and threw him to the ground and held him on the ground.
He is asking what's the matter as best he could with his broken
English," said Jim Scott, victim's son-in-law. Manrique, a diabetic,
barely understood English. According to his family, he told a Spanish
speaking officer who showed up at the scene later that he needed to go
to the hospital. He was going to
be released from St. Francis Hospital on Sunday when he suffered from a
sudden seizure and died. Manrique's family believes the seizure was the
result of the attack. According to the police report, officers stopped
Manrique on Oct. 6, believing he was a gang graffiti suspect. [more 
] and [more ] and [more ]
- Family Files Lawsuit Over Death. Maria
Manrique says she and her father Antonio were walking close to
their home Wednesday night when the two officers stopped them. Maria
Manrique claims officers asked her dad to identify himself, then began
to arrest and beat him. Once they realized their mistake, the police
took Manrique to the hospital for treatment. The lawsuit against the
police department questions how officers thought the grandfather was a
suspected gang member in his 20s. The police report says Manrique wore
his hat low and tried to flee when officers stopped him. But the family
disputes that claim. "How they confuse a 75-year-old man with a
20-year-old? " Susanna Scott said. [more ]
- Images [here ]