Eric Garner

Eric Garner was a 43-year-old Black man from Staten Island, New York, whose 2014 death during an arrest by New York City police drew national attention to police brutality and the use of chokeholds.

Eric Garner was a 43-year-old Black man from Staten Island, New York, whose 2014 death during an arrest by New York City police drew national attention to police brutality and the use of chokeholds. His final words, “I can’t breathe,” became a widely used slogan in protests over policing and racial justice.

Early life

Eric Garner was born on September 15, 1970, and lived in Staten Island, New York. Sources describe him as a father of six who worked in several jobs, including as a mechanic, bouncer, and horticulturist.

Death

Garner died on July 17, 2014, after a confrontation with NYPD officers on a Staten Island street. The encounter was recorded on video, and Garner can be heard saying “I can’t breathe” while being restrained.

Legal and official response

The New York City medical examiner ruled Garner’s death a homicide and attributed it to compression of the neck and chest and prone positioning during restraint. A grand jury later decided not to indict the officer involved, Daniel Pantaleo, prompting protests in New York and other U.S. cities. Pantaleo was fired by the NYPD in 2019 after departmental proceedings.

Public reaction and legacy

Garner’s death prompted protests across the United States and became a symbol of opposition to police brutality. His dying words, “I can’t breathe,” were widely used in demonstrations and public discussion of policing, and his case became a major reference point in the Black Lives Matter movement and broader debates over police accountability.