INDIANAPOLIS — It's been nearly one year since he died in police custody and Herman Whitfield III's family says they're coping with a nightmare.
Whitfield died on April 25, 2022, after police responded to his parents' home for a report of a man suffering from a mental health crisis.
He was tased twice with six officers were on the scene.
The case is still under investigation.
It's upsetting for his parents who have been calling for transparency.
His mother gave WRTV new pictures today on Monday. They're memories that are so hard for her to look at.
"I just miss him so much," said Gladys Whitfield.
Gladys and Herman Whitfield Jr. miss their son, Herman Whitfield III's smile, his love and affection.
"I miss his hugs," said Gladys.
He's known to them as Tre who loved singing and playing the piano.
"He was always playing music. He played the radio. He played his cd's, he listened to music, talked to us about music," she said.
"Music was his friend," said Herman Whitfield Jr.
Now, his mother can hardly listen to it. It brings back painful memories of April 25th, 2022.
"Other than that being a trigger, just being in our house is a trigger because that's where they killed him," she said.
That night, the Whitfield's called 911 for help, concerned he was having a psychosis.
Whitfield was walking around his home, naked, with blood around his mouth, in distress.
A female officer tried to get him to put clothes on. Back-up officers then arrived.
"When they came in there it seemed like it startled him a little bit, so he got up. I was with him. He walked through the kitchen getting away from him," said his father.
Unedited body camera video released in January shows the moments Whitfield was tased.
PREVIOUS | More body cam released from night Herman Whitfield III died (wrtv.com)
"If he can only get on a robe that will work too. Just enough to get him out," said an officer.
That's when officer Adam Ahmad tried to grab him. Whitfield yells and runs into kitchen. He hit a pan.
"I need you to relax," said the officer.
Whitfield tried to grab water, is told to put it down, and heads towards the dining room. He's then tased twice by officer Steven Sanchez.
Edited video originally released by IMPD shows when Whitfield enters the dining room. The department claimed he rushed towards the officer.
"Stay on his head," said an officer.
Whitfield struggles as he's handcuffed.
"He was saying fire, fire! I had no idea he had been tased but he was screaming as loud as he could. Apparently, he was in an aggravating pain. It was terrible," said Whitfield Jr.
"I can't breathe. I can't breathe," he yelled.
He then goes limp.
"He said, I can't breathe three times," said Gladys.
"What was going through your mind at the time," asked WRTV's Rachael Wilkerson.
"I was just horrified," said his father.
The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and officer's.
They want to know why their son wasn't turned over after being tased.
"I really want to understand why when my son said he couldn't breathe several times and they heard him say I can't breathe. One officer asked do you want to turn him over and the other officer said no I don't want him to get up," said Gladys.
"The noises and the sounds, they're just with you day and night," said his father.
His mother also says the 39-year-old needed someone to talk to not use of force.
"If someone says I can't breathe. That's not a mental health issue. That's a failure to follow policies and procedures," said Gladys.
In two weeks, it will be a year since Tre died.
The coroner has released her findings.
"She said it was a homicide so that's been settled. She also said the cause of death. that's been settled," said Gladys.
The investigation is still ongoing for IMPD and the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
"What's to investigate at this point? What's going on it takes you almost a year to investigate for something that's on body cam," said Gladys.
"How frustrated are you," asked WRTV's Rachael Wilkerson.
"Very frustrated. It's hard to even concentrate," said Whitfield Jr.
"The police department and the city they haven't been transparent. They intentionally refuse to disclose information about what was done to us and how our son and why he was killed and why the officer's failed to follow their own policies," said Gladys.
They say it's the most traumatic event of their lives.
"A night of terror," said Whitfield Jr. They want accountability.
"I expect them to stand before judges in our court system and let justice prevail. I want them to release all the answers on their behavior and what was in their heart and mind. Where was their soul? Did they have a soul? It was terrible," said Whitfield Jr.
"How can the mayor just totally ignore one of his citizens being killed that way but they talk about crime, but you have no public comment on what happened to our child in his own home? The chief as well. I haven't seen any public comment from the chief. He commented on what happened to Mr. Tyre Nichols in Memphis he thought that was terrible, but I guess something about our son maybe he thinks that's ok. I am not sure what the distinction is why it's so terrible about what happened to Mr. Nichols but what happened to Mr. Whitfield III is justified," said Gladys.
IMPD says it cannot comment during pending litigation. MCPO did not respond back.
“Our deepest sympathies are with the Whitfield Family as they continue to mourn the loss of their son. He was a talented individual who gave generously to the Indianapolis community," The mayor's office said. "Because of the pending litigation, we cannot comment on the specifics of the case.”
