Family Seeks Justice After Willie Rose's In-Custody Death Following Theft Call

Incident Overview

• 💔 The family of 55-year-old Willie Rose is seeking justice following his death on December 29th, after a Mesquite police response to a shoplifting call.
• 🛒 The incident began with officers responding to a reported theft at a Family Dollar, involving items totaling $175, including diapers, toilet paper, and laundry detergent.

Confrontation and Arrest

• 🚗 Police located the suspect vehicle, a purple Crown Victoria, with Willie Rose driving and three passengers.
• 🗣️ According to witness accounts, an officer aggressively ordered Rose out of the car.
• 🏃 Rose reportedly stated he had asthma and couldn't breathe before standing up and running from officers.

Allegations of Excessive Force

• 👊 A brief physical confrontation occurred when an officer pursued Rose on foot and attempted to take him into custody.
• 📹 Family members claim body camera footage, which they were shown but has not been publicly released, depicts an officer punching Rose repeatedly.
• 🤕 Rose's daughter stated that after more than a dozen hits, the officer handcuffed her father, who was then found unresponsive with mud and grass in his nose and mouth.

Investigation and Pending Results

• 🚑 Police reported removing the handcuffs and rendering first aid within minutes.
• ⚖️ Mesquite PD plans to release the body camera video but is coordinating with Dallas, which is investigating the death.
• 📊 Willie Rose's autopsy and toxicology reports are still pending, and passengers in the car were arrested on theft and drug possession charges.
• ❓ The family is demanding answers as to how a petty theft call resulted in a funeral.