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Canton officials are charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Frank Tyson

CANTON — Two Canton police officers have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the April 18 death of Frank E. Tyson.

Officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch were booked into the Stark County Jail on Friday. Their arrests came after a Stark County grand jury indicted them.

On Friday evening, Stark County Prosecutor Kyle Stone released a media release announcing a press conference at noon Saturday to discuss the grand jury's decision in the Tyson case.

Tyson, a 53-year-old black man from Canton Township, died after a fight with police at the AMVETS building on Sherrick Road SE. He had entered the club after crashing a vehicle into a nearby electricity pole.

There he was confronted by the cantonal police. A fight ensued. Eventually, Tyson was handcuffed. He lay face down on the ground for nearly eight minutes before an officer determined Tyson had no pulse.

Body camera video shows officers taking Tyson to the ground as he screamed that officers were trying to kill him.

An officer placed his knee on Tyson's upper back and neck area for about a minute while another officer handcuffed him. Tyson said “I can’t breathe” several times. Less than a minute after he was handcuffed, he fell silent.

Schoenegge and Burch were initially placed on leave. Canton police turned the investigation over to the Ohio Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Investigation – which is common in situations where a local officer shoots or kills someone.

In August, results of a preliminary autopsy report ruled Tyson's death a homicide. The cause was a combination of acute cocaine and alcohol intoxication, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cardiopulmonary arrest combined with physical altercation and prone restraint.

Reckless homicide is a third-degree felony; the penalty is up to three years in prison.

In recent years, city police have been involved in several high-profile confrontations that sparked outrage in the community.

Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or [email protected]. On X: @tbotosREP

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