A 42-year-old man who had been declared brain dead days after a violent confrontation with Montclair Police Department officers earlier this month has died, according to the family’s attorney.
Antonio Ibáñez was on life support after officers allegedly used a Taser and batons to detain him on March 5. Humberto Guizar, an attorney retained by Ibanez’s family, said Ibanez died Wednesday at Montclair Hospital Medical Center.
A claim for damages in Ibanez’s death was filed with the city the next day, Guizar said.
Montclair police officers responded to the 4100 block of Mission Boulevard after receiving a call from a woman about a man armed with an object threatening her. The woman, who rented a room from Ibanez in her home, was in her vehicle with her children when police arrived.
Officers contacted the suspect in a bedroom and used force to detain him, police said in a statement. Officers called for medical help shortly after the suspect “began to display symptoms of a medical emergency,” according to police.
But Ibáñez’s family and his lawyer have questioned the police account of what happened. Guizar said the lawyers interviewed the woman who called police and informed them that Ibáñez was not armed.
Guizar also questioned why police have not released additional details and information about the incident, including body camera footage. He called on city officials to release the images.
Family members have received little to no information about the incident, Guizar said.
Montclair police said they turned the investigation over to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
