What happened to Brandon Zapata in Fort Worth? Facts so far about La Gran Plaza death
On April 11, 20-year-old Brandon Zapata died less than an hour after he was restrained and handcuffed by security officers at La Gran Plaza shopping center in south Fort Worth.
The confrontation was captured on video by bystanders, and Zapata’s family believes the security — including an off-duty Fort Worth police officer — used excessive force.
Here’s what we know about the case so far.
[Leer en español: ‘Fuerza excesiva’ dice la familia de Brandon Zapata]
What happened to Brandon Zapata?
Zapata was detained at La Gran Plaza, a mall that largely caters to Hispanic shoppers, along Interstate 35 south of Fort Worth, around 12:45 p.m.
Cellphone video obtained by the Star-Telegram shows two men, including the off-duty officer, kneeling on Zapata’s back as they hold him face-down on the floor and he kicks his legs.
Members of his family met April 18 with Fort Worth police officials involved in the investigation, but the family says they still don’t understand exactly why Zapata was detained.
According to police, Zapata was “acting erratically” and security guards including the off-duty Fort Worth officer restrained him and put him in handcuffs.
Police said that after Zapata showed signs of “medical distress,” officers removed his handcuffs. They and paramedics tried to revive Zapata, but they were unsuccessful.
What could have caused Brandon Zapata’s death?
The autopsy is pending, but witnesses said that Zapata was struggling to breathe.
His mother, Gloria Ortiz, said her son suffered from asthma and didn’t have his inhaler with him. The family said that they believe Zapata’s erratic behavior was a result of an asthma attack, and that they were told he was asking for water. The family believes that the security officers’ actions may have impeded his breathing.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy but has not yet reported its findings on Zapata’s cause or manner of death. Zapata’s family said they haven’t seen the results of the autopsy or the toxicology report, but they are having a private autopsy done.
What has Brandon Zapata’s family said?
Reuben Garcia, a cousin, said they don’t know why the 20-year-old went to La Gran Plaza, but the family believes his death could have been avoided.
“We’re trying to get the correct answers,” Garcia said.
In their visit to police headquarters, the family was accompanied by community activist Carlos Quintanilla. “We believe that there was excessive force,” Quintanilla said.
The family said they saw extensive bruising on Zapata’s back and shoulders when his body was brought to the funeral home.
Quintanilla said that videos shown to the family by police show Zapata calling for help. Witnesses said he was heard screaming.
“He was obviously in severe distress,” Quintanilla said.
Ortiz said she didn’t learn about her son’s death until the medical examiner called her the next day. They had identified Zapata by his fingerprints.
Zapata’s mother said she is heartbroken. “No parent should have to bury their child,” Ortiz said.
Zapata’s family has established a GoFundMe to help cover his funeral expenses.
What have Fort Worth police said?
Assistant Police Chief Robert Alldredge met with Zapata’s family on April 18.
“First we want to express our most sincere condolences to the family,” the department said in an emailed statement to the Star-Telegram. “Assistant Chief Alldredge was able to meet with the family. The family was able to express concerns and ask where the investigation is thus far. They understand that we are working to help get more information to them.”
Quintanilla said they were told the off-duty officer who was involved is still working for the department and his role in the incident is being investigated.
The police department’s Major Case Unit is conducting the investigation.
In their initial press release, police said that security officers detained Zapata because he was “causing a disturbance” at the mall. Police said he also was accused of assaulting a security guard by knocking him over during the struggle.
According to police, the Crisis Intervention Team, which normally responds to incidents that may involve mental health issues, did not respond to this incident, Quintanilla said.
“The Fort Worth Police Department Major Case Unit is working hard to gather all available information about this incident,” police said. The completed investigation and evidence will be turned over to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office for review and presentation to a grand jury, which is the standard operating procedure of the department, police said.
What does police body-camera footage show?
Fort Worth police released some security and bodycam video from the incident on April 19.
The footage shows that Zapata appeared to be in severe distress and asking for help from security personnel at La Gran Plaza before the struggle that ended in his death.
When he first appeared on the security video, Zapata seemed to be in either physical or mental distress and was stumbling around near an entrance at the mall. In the 15 minutes before police arrived, an off-duty Fort Worth police officer employed by La Gran Plaza appeared to try to calm Zapata and get him to sit down. Then the officer and a security guard tried to restrain Zapata by the arms as he attempted to stand and grew more and more agitated.
It appears near the beginning of the video that Zapata had soiled himself, and soon after he can be seen pulling down his pants.
Minutes later Zapata lurched into the two men. Zapata and the security guard fell to the ground. Another man, who witnesses told the Star-Telegram was a passerby, approached and helped the two men subdue Zapata. Cellphone video from another angle, provided to the Star-Telegram by a bystander, shows the man and the off-duty officer kneeling on Zapata’s back at one point as they hold him down and try to handcuff him.
Fort Worth police officers arrived around this time and body-camera footage shows Zapata groaning on the floor while lying face-down with his hands restrained above his head in handcuffs. About a minute-and-a-half later, he appeared to stop moving or making sounds as officers worked to handcuff him behind his back. After he was cuffed, an officer sat Zapata up and told him to breathe and “wake up.”
“Breathe, breathe,” the officer can be heard saying. After realizing Zapata was not responding, officers removed the handcuffs, laid him on the floor and began CPR. The officers providing first aid say a couple of times that he has a pulse but it is weak. An officer is heard saying that he believes Zapata might have smoked something, and the officers attempt to give Zapata Narcan, the video shows.
Zapata’s family said they were told he died while still at the shopping center, but he was officially pronounced dead after he was transported to a hospital.
The police department’s Major Case Unit asked that anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional video to call investigators at 817-392-4438.
What was the timeline of events?
The following is a timeline based on preliminary information, according to police.
- The timestamp on the security video is incorrect, police said. The timestamp says 11:41 when Zapata first approaches the security guards but it appears that it is off by an hour and the time is about 12:41 p.m. when the video begins.
- At 12:48 p.m., the Fort Worth Police Department received a 911 call from a person reporting someone was fighting with a FWPD officer who was working at La Gran Plaza in an off-duty capacity. Police say mall security made the 911 call.
- FWPD officers were dispatched at 12:52 p.m.
- MedStar paramedics were notified at 12:53 p.m.
- FWPD officers arrived at 12:57 p.m. and found the off-duty officer inside the building with Zapata.
- At 12:58 p.m., Zapata became unresponsive and officers began CPR.
- Fearing Zapata might be under the influence of a narcotic, officers administered Narcan at 1:02 p.m.
- Officers continued to provide medical assistance to Zapata until Medstar personnel arrived on the scene and took over care at 1:05 p.m.
- Zapata was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by hospital personnel at 1:47 p.m.
What is La Gran Plaza mall in Fort Worth?
La Gran Plaza de Fort Worth at Interstate 35 and Seminary Drive is a “one-of-a-kind super regional shopping mall with over 300 stores to suit your every shopping need,” the mall’s website says.
It also has a market space for small businesses, a food court, a playground, a carousel and a movie theater with films dubbed or subtitled in Spanish.
Every weekend, the plaza hosts cultural and community events including Mariachi music and children’s entertainment.
A spokesperson for the security office at La Gran Plaza told the Star-Telegram that the mall employs off-duty Fort Worth police officers in uniform to act as mall police. They are intended to act as a deterrent to criminal activity, the spokesperson said. The mall employs security officers in addition to the police.
Mall security declined to comment about the incident because of the ongoing investigation.
This story was originally published April 19, 2023 at 1:15 PM.
