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Canton police officers charged with reckless homicide in death of Frank Tyson

Officers Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge are currently being held in the Stark County Jail. County prosecutors have not yet confirmed the grand jury's findings.

CANTON, Ohio — Two Canton officers who were involved in the April death of Frank Tyson, who died while in police custody, have been charged with reckless homicide, according to inmate records from the Stark County Sheriff's Office.

The records show Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge, both 24, were booked into the Stark County Jail on Friday. These developments come as Stark County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Stone is set to announce the results of a grand jury investigation into Tyson's death at a press conference on Saturday.

Sources tell 3News Burch and Schoenegge will remain in custody until at least Monday, when they will be in court for a bond hearing. 3News is working to confirm more details of the charges with prosecutors.

Credit: Stark County Sheriff's Office
From left: Booking photos of Canton Police Officers Camden Burch and Beau Schoenegge.

Attorney Bobby DiCello, who is representing Tyson's family, hailed the grand jury's decision in a statement Saturday morning. 

“Today, Frank Tyson’s family breathes a short sigh of relief, knowing that the officers who took part in Frank’s inhumane and brutal death will not escape prosecution for their actions. This moment of relief is bittersweet, because it makes official what they have long known: Frank is a victim of homicide who did not deserve to be suffocated to death," DiCello said. "The Tyson family asks for your continued support as they witness the criminal process unfold.”

We plan to stream Saturday's briefing live at noon inside this story, and you can also watch it on our YouTube channel. In addition, DiCello will hold his own news conference immediately following the prosecutor's briefing.

CASE HISTORY

The encounter between the 53-year-old Tyson and police occurred on April 18 when two officers responded to an AMVETS Post on Sherrick Road Southeast. Canton police officials say Tyson ran there after crashing his car near the eastern limits of the city. Officers observed a power pole in the roadway that had been sheared in the wreck and found the vehicle nearby before being directed to the AMVETS, where Tyson was located.

In a release from April 19, police stated that Tyson struggled with the officers before they secured him, and that the officers noticed he was unresponsive "shortly after securing him in handcuffs." After performing CPR and administering multiple doses of Narcan, Tyson was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Canton police said it immediately contacted the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) to conduct "an independent investigation of the incident."

On April 24, Canton police released body camera footage showing the death of Tyson while he was in police custody. The video included Tyson's last words "I can't breathe." In all, the 35-minute, 46-second video shows officers arriving to the scene, confronting Tyson, and attempting to take him into custody. One of the officers was seen putting his knee on Tyson's upper body for roughly 30 seconds. After Tyson's last words, the video also shows a period of five-plus minutes where he laid motionless on the floor before police checked for a pulse.

PREVIOUS: Bodycam video shows Frank E. Tyson telling Canton officers 'I can't breathe' moments before death in police custody

Canton police identified the officers involved as Schoenegge and Burch of the department's traffic bureau. Both were placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy.

In August, while the BCI continued their investigation into the incident, the Stark County Coroner's Office ruled that the death of Tyson was a homicide.

Chief Investigator Harry Campbell said the autopsy showed two causes of death:

  • Cardio Pulmonary Arrest in association with physical altercation and prone restraint. 
  • Ischemic Cardio Vascular Disease and acute intoxication by cocaine and ethanol. 

The autopsy also listed obesity as a "significant condition" in Tyson's death. 

BCI officials told 3News that the case was referred to the Stark County Prosecutor's Office for review on Aug. 30.

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