Dad who died during arrest 'begged for his life'; witness videos seized

Blood stains are still visible on the sidewalk at the corner of Flower Street and Palm Drive, where a Bakersfield man struggled with as many as nine officers and later died this week.
David Sal Silva, 33 and the father of four young children, died early Wednesday morning after deputies say he fought with them and CHP officers who'd responded to a report of a possibly intoxicated man outside Kern Medical Center.

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By Henry A. Barrios / The Californian

Chris Silva speaks about his brother David Silva, 33, who died while being arrested by Kern County Sheriff's Deputies early Wednesday morning. The incident happened across from Kern Medical Center at the corner of Flower Street and Palm Drive. Family members are questioning how David Silva died.

By Henry A. Barrios / The Californian

Ruben Ceballos, 19, who lives a few houses from where David Silva and the KCSD had an encounter resulting in the death of Silva early Wednesday morning, said he was a witness to the incident.

By Henry A. Barrios / The Californian

Family members of David Silva speak to area residents at Flower Street and Palm Drive concerning an incident between Silva and the Kern County Sheriff's Department that ended early Wednesday morning with the death of Silva. A memorial of flowers and candles has been set up near where Silva died.

The Kern County Sheriff's Office says Silva resisted, a canine was deployed, more law enforcement arrived, batons were used and the man later had trouble breathing. He was taken to KMC, where he died. An autopsy was slated for Thursday, but no results have been released.
Some witnesses apparently took cellphone video of the incident but deputies moved quickly to seize the phones. The Sheriff's Office, after releasing a statement Wednesday and naming its officers Thursday, declined all further comment.
People who say they witnessed the incident as well as Silva's family members described a scene in which deputies essentially were beating a helpless man to death. They were indignant that cellphone video had been taken away by deputies.






http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x568091070/Dad-who-died-during-arrest-begged-for-his-life-cops-take-witness-video