ICE Detainee's Death Ruled Homicide After Guard Restrained Him During Attempted Suicide

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A 911 call from a private security contractor at a Texas detention center has shed new light on the death of a Cuban immigrant who was restrained by guards during an attempted suicide. According to the call, Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, tried to hang himself and was subsequently restrained in handcuffs by multiple guards. The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the death a homicide caused by asphyxia due to compression to his neck and torso. An investigation into the incident has not been launched by any law enforcement agency outside of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which oversees the detention center. Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety, and had been living in the US since 1996. He was taken into ICE custody last July after being released from state supervision in New York, where he had served prison time for a drug charge. The 911 call, obtained through a public information request, reveals that medical staff were attempting to revive Lunas Campos when the call was made. The caller, Lt. Paul Walden, stated that Lunas Campos 'kept going' after being restrained, but did not elaborate on the circumstances. An initial statement from ICE did not mention that Lunas Campos had attempted suicide or been physically restrained. However, a spokesperson later described the incident as a struggle in which Lunas Campos violently resisted security staff and continued to attempt to take his life. A witness reported that at least five guards held Lunas Campos down, with one putting an arm around his neck and squeezing until he was unconscious. The investigation into Lunas Campos' death is ongoing, but it remains unclear whether any law enforcement agency outside of ICE will be involved.