Man dies after confrontation with Anaheim police

An Anaheim man who had been in a coma since a confrontation with police officers a week ago died Sunday, his family’s lawyer said.

Fermin Vincent Valenzuela II died at West Anaheim Medical Center, said the attorney, Garo Mardirossian. A cause of death was not immediately available.

In an incident now under investigation by prosecutors, Anaheim police officers stopped Valenzuela on July 2 after receiving a call about a suspicious man following a woman to her home in the 2600 block of West Broadway Avenue, Sgt. Daron Wyatt said.

Valenzeula, 32, became combative as the officers tried to arrest him on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia, Wyatt said. After eight to 10 minutes, Valenzuela stopped breathing and was rushed to the hospital, the sergeant said.

Mardirossian told The Times earlier this week that the officers beat Valenzuela and shocked him with a Taser.

The Orange County district attorney’s office has opened an investigation. In a statement, the Anaheim Police Department said the confrontation was recorded by the officers’ body cameras.

Times staff writer Anh Do contributed to this report.

For more news in California, follow @MattHjourno.

ALSO

Woman driving with her 15-month-old son is shot several times

Demonstrators take to L.A. streets to rally against shootings by police

Dozens protest CHP’s fatal shooting of a teen during an undercover street-racing probe