Man dies in custody after aggressive arrest
A 42 year old man from Aruba died on Sunday night in a hospital in The Hague after becoming unwell following a violent arrest. The police have launched an investigation into the matter.
"With pain in my heart I had to say goodbye to my dear cousin today", Mary Jacopucci-Wilson wrote on Facebook on Sunday. She was informed that her cousin, Mitch Henriquez, was "beaten up by the police" during an outing earlier that day. "I find that this can not happen." She asked that anyone who may have filmed the incident please contact their family.
According to a statement by the Public Prosecutor, Henriquez was arrested around 9:45 p.m. on Saturday at the Night at the Park music festival in The Hague after shouting that he had a weapon. The man resisted arrest and the police had to use force to bring him under control. He became unwell en route to the police station. Officers started administrating CPR and an ambulance took him to the hospital in very critical condition.
Video images show that Henriquez became ill on the festival grounds already.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident. The investigators will look at everything that happened from the first report that the police received until the man became ill. They will also examine whether there is a link between the police officers' actions and the man becoming unwell.
The police would like to get in touch with people who were near the festival entrance at Veluweplein around 9:45 p.m. on Saturday and witnessed the arrest. They also want to talk to anyone who may have filmed the arrest.
