Fatal Encounters

A step toward creating an impartial, comprehensive and searchable national database of people killed during interactions with police

Wendell Jerrold Celestine Jr.

Name: Wendell Jerrold Celestine Jr.
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Race: African-American/Black
Date: 02/05/2016
Location: 199 E 6th St
Antioch, California, 94509
County: Contra Costa
Agency: Antioch Police Department
Cause of Death: Asphyxiated/Restrained
Intended Use of Force: Less-than-lethal force
Media summary: Celestine and was wanted on suspicion of violating his parole. He had walked out of a hospital against doctors' orders two days earlier, police said. Police found Celestine sleeping in a car parked at the end of East Sixth Street with a friend. The officer attempted to arrest Celestine, who fought with officers. After restraining him, officers called for an ambulance to treat him for potential injuries sustained during the struggle. As the ambulance arrived, the man began having "some sort of medical distress." He then died.
Unique ID: 17229

News article: Link






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