Fort Worth (WBAP/KLIF) – The Fort Worth Police Department released surveillance video and bodycam video footage of a fatal incident involving 20-year old Brandon Zapata inside La Gran Plaza last Tuesday, April 11.
Zapata died after an encounter with mall police and security officers who responded to reports of him causing a disturbance near the mall carousel. One of the officers was an off-duty Fort Worth police officer working security.
Mall security footage shows a man [later identified as Zapata] near appearing to be in distress, moving about erratically and falling to the floor. He appears to resist as authorities try to talk with and subsequently detain him.
The video continues with no audio for several minutes. The video released by the FWPD then transitions to police bodycam from officers who are running to the scene. It shows an officer and another man with their knees on Zapata’s upper and lower back. Zapata eventually becomes unresponsive and emergency aid was administered on the scene.
At one point someone is heard saying, “He said he smoked something. Another says, “He has a pulse,” and, yet another says, “Does anyone have any Narcan?”
After several minutes, Zapata was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Family members and community activist Carlos Quintanilla showed up at FWPD headquarters earlier this week to demand answers about their loved one’s death. They were provided the opportunity to see video obtained by the department.
Family told WFAA-TV that Brandon has asthma and that he may have been having an attack.
(Copyright 2023 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News. This report contains material from WFAA-TV)