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Family Wants Answers After Victorville Man Dies In Deputy Custody

VICTORVILLE (CBSLA.com) — Relatives of a Victorville man who died while in the custody of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department are demanding an independent investigation into his death.

Dante Parker last week was stunned several times with a deputy's Taser before he died.

Overcome with anger and sadness, relatives lashed out at police during a news conference Tuesday.

"I raised him as a human being and he shouldn't have had to go out like an animal," Parker's mother said.

"He had a family to come home to. He was our provider. He was the rock of our family," Parker's wife, Bianca, said. "I don't want to go through life being a bitter person, but I feel myself having a whole bunch of anger."

The Parker family is being joined by the Victorville NAACP in calling for an independent review of Dante's death.

"To us, this is another grim reminder of our country's broke, ineffective and unjust system of policing," Victorville NAACP President Samuel Carl, Jr. said.

The incident unfolded on the 13000 block of Bucknell Court last Tuesday. According to the Sheriff's Department, someone called to report a break-in.

When deputies arrived, the caller identified Parker as the suspect.

As the deputy tried to arrest Parker, he allegedly became combative. The deputy also said it appeared Parker was under the influence.

The deputy used a Taser multiple times to subdue Parker, according to his report.

Parker was eventually handcuffed and taken to a hospital, where he died.

"My husband was not aggressive. He was disoriented," Bianca Parker said.

Parker was a father of five and worked for the local newspaper in Victorville. He died two days short of his 37th birthday.

An autopsy is being done on Parker's body by the Riverside County Coroner's Office.

CBS2/KCAL9 reached out to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Tuesday for comment and have not heard back.

 

 

 

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