PAYOUT

Family of Black Man Killed By Tacoma Cops Receive $4M Settlement

Manuel Ellis told Tacoma officers—while pinned to the ground—that he couldn’t breathe.

Authorities in Washington state have agreed to a settlement with the family of a Black man who died due to a lack of oxygen while in police custody. On Monday, Pierce County officials proposed to the family of Manuel Ellis a $4 million settlement, which the county council will vote on Tuesday. Ellis, 33, was arrested in 2020, when Tacoma police claimed he was trying to break into occupied cars. An investigation found that police fired a taser at Ellis and restrained his hands and feet. As he was lying on his stomach, police audio captured him telling officers that he couldn’t breathe. Cellphone footage of the incident showed police seemingly punching Ellis as he lay defenseless. He died at the scene. A medical examiner determined that his cause of death was due to “physical restraint.”