Death by Cop – 2023
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Thomas Matias
Case # :33
Gender : Male
Age : 77
Race : Unknown
Date : 12/28/2023
Location : Ala Moana Center
City : Honolulu
County : Oahu
State : Hawaii
Agency : Honolulu Police Department
Officer(s) :Not Disclosed
Cause of death : Fatal beating
Event : Died from injuries sustained during violent arrest
Disposition : No Known charges
Open records summary :
Plainclothes officers jumped 77-year-old Thomas Matias when he got on a moped at the Ala Moana Center and violently arrested him. Police allege that the moped was stolen. Matias was injured in the arrest and taken to an ER. He told his daughter that police had instructed him to say no if asked whether he wanted to be admitted for his injuries and he had complied and signed out against medical advice. His pain and his sister found him in his apartment with extreme head and rib and chest pain. He was found to have broken ribs and other substantial injuries from the attack. He died from these injuries on January 10, 2024. After seeing the coroner’s report of injuries, the investigation was changed to manslaughter against the officers.
His daughter stated that the moped he was attacked for was purchased by him and to the family’s knowledge not stolen. There is no BWC footage as the officers were plainclothes. Surveillance footage was confirmed to exist but has not been released by police.