Tape Released of Scuffle Before Death

Metro Police have released a videotape that shows a fierce scuffle between two officers and a San Diego man who died while in police custody.

The videotape was recorded last Wednesday by security guards at Bally’s Hotel, across the Las Vegas Strip from where the incident took place.

The Clark County coroner’s office said Mario Carrillo, 33, died of a cocaine overdose that apparently caused his abnormal behavior and a fatal seizure. Carrillo was in Las Vegas to attend the Comdex computer show, authorities said.

The videotape shows the 245-pound man, clad only in his underwear, talking with the two officers. When they tried to take him into custody, he became combative and wrestled with them violently.

A security guard from a nearby gift shop and a passer-by joined police in holding the man down so he could be handcuffed. The man was lying alongside a patrol car when he stopped breathing.

Police said they did not use undue force in the arrest.

“The video was released . . . to explain the actions of the officers and to demonstrate that they did their jobs professionally and with restraint,” said Lt. Carl Fruge, a police spokesman.

A coroner’s report blamed the cocaine use for the abnormal behavior.

“I understand it was his normal course of actions that after using drugs he would disrobe and pray to God to cleanse him from his sins,” Clark County Coroner Ron Flud said Monday.

Police said Carrillo had gone out to dinner with two friends after a night of partying and was last seen by the friends about 4 a.m.

Police are looking for a California woman who was at the Comdex convention. Investigators want to interview her because she was seen with Carrillo about half an hour before the 7 a.m. scuffle.