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Autopsy out on man who died in altercation with Omaha police

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An autopsy report says an Oklahoma man who was beaten and shocked a dozen times with a stun gun in an altercation with Omaha police suffered “sudden death associated with excited delirium.”

The report, released Thursday, says the death of 29-year-old Zachary Bearheels was also associated with physical struggle, restraint and use of a stun gun.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says that report stops short of determining those actions caused Bearheels’ death.

Police have said Bearheels, who has a history of mental illness, was acting erratically and fought officers’ efforts to take him into custody on June 5. He died after being taken to a hospital.

Omaha’s police chief has recommended two officers, Scotty Payne and Ryan McClarty, be fired for violated department policy in their treatment of Bearheels.

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