Disturbing moment autistic boy, 16, who died in custody struggles with police

Disturbing moment autistic boy, 16, who died in custody struggles with police during arrest for attacking his father

  • ‘Severely autistic’ boy was arrested Sunday for biting his father at Laser Quest 
  • Police officer arrived to detain the teen at around 1.30pm in Metaire, Louisiana 
  • Disturbing footage shows the boy lashing out at his father and the deputy
  • During the arrest the boy fell ill and was later pronounced dead in hospital

Disturbing video footage shows the moment a ‘severely autistic’ 16-year-old boy was arrested before he died in custody on Sunday.

Police were called after reports the teenager had struck and bitten his father at a Laser Tag in Metairie, Louisiana, at around 1.30pm.

Footage showed the deputy and the boy’s father struggling with him outside in the parking lot. The teen also bit the police officer’s leg while he was being restrained, according to Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The boy has not been publicly identified. 

JPSO Captain Jason Rivarde said: ‘The suspect suffered an apparent medical emergency during the arrest and became unresponsive.’

The 16-year-old boy can be seen lashing out at his father and the deputy during the arrest in the parking lot outside the Laser Quest in Metairie, Louisiana on Sunday

The deputy grapples with the boy during the arrest before the teen 'suffered an apparent medical emergency'

The deputy grapples with the boy during the arrest before the teen ‘suffered an apparent medical emergency’

Paramedics rushed him to hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to  WWL-TV.

The witness who filmed the arrest said he heard screaming before taking out his camera.

The General Manager of the Laser Tag Ricky Dillard told the broadcaster that the special needs teen was well known to staff.

‘He was a long time guest and a lot of our crew members have personal relationships with him and his family,’ Dillard told WWL-TV.

The teen is hauled to the ground by his father and the deputy, it is not clear who the woman in the video is

The teen is hauled to the ground by his father and the deputy, it is not clear who the woman in the video is

The General Manager of the Laser Tag Ricky Dillard said: 'He was a long time guest and a lot of our crew members have personal relationships with him and his family ... They were our number one customers'

The General Manager of the Laser Tag Ricky Dillard said: ‘He was a long time guest and a lot of our crew members have personal relationships with him and his family … They were our number one customers’

‘It’s not easy. I wish we could give the parents a big hug. They were our number one customers.

‘He loved being in our facility. He loved the bumpers cars and bowling alley. We all made a point of communicating with him because he was learning from this experience.’ 

Captain Rivarde said an autopsy on Tuesday would confirm the cause of death.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk