The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is conducting an internal investigation after a man died during a routine traffic stop.

On September 5, Byron Lee Williams was riding his bicycle when he was stopped by Officer Benjamin Vazquez and Officer Patrick Campbell at 5:48 a.m., according to The Las Vegas Sun. The pair stopped the 50-year-old because his bike was missing lighting and reflectors.

Clark County Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank provided details and released five minutes of the body camera footage during a press conference on Monday.

Williams pedaled away when Campbell and Vazquez began to approach him. He eventually ditched the bike and tried to escape on foot before he was caught.

The officers forced Williams on the ground and began to place him in handcuffs. While being arrested, Williams refused to move one of his hands from his chest. Sheriff Hank said he believes he was trying to conceal a baggie of meth and pills later found at the scene.

Williams then told the officers he couldn't breathe.

"Yeah, because you're tired of [expletive] running," one of the officers replied.

Williams continued to complain about not being able to breathe until the officers brought him to his feet to place him in their patrol car. The drugs reportedly fell out of his pocket when he stood up. As the officers spotted the items, Williams appeared to pass out.

After Williams was taken away, the officers turned off their body cameras. According to Sheriff Hank, officers are allowed to disable their cameras after a situation is under control.

Medics arrived at 6:08 a.m., and Williams was taken to the hospital shortly after. He was pronounced dead at 6:44 a.m., 56 minutes after the encounter began.

"We take the sanctity of life very seriously," Hank said. "We feel very saddened that this has occurred, and it's unfortunate."

At the time of his death, the police department was seeking a warrant for Williams' arrest after he failed to charge his ankle monitor.

Sheriff Hank said Williams had an "extensive" criminal history in California and Nevada during the press conference. Williams' family insists he was trying to change his ways.

"Byron Lee Williams did have people who cared about him," his daughter told KTNV.

"He was loved, he was a changed man, it needs to be known that he changed his lifestyle," his niece added.

The family started a GoFundMe account to pay for Williams' funeral expenses.

Vasquez and Campbell were placed on administrative leave while the department investigates the incident.

Officer-Benjamin-Vazquez

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