What did the paramedics do to Elijah McClain?

Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old African American man was confronted by police in Aurora, Colorado while walking home from a convenience store on August 24, 2019.

The officers, who were responding to a call about a suspicious person, placed McClain in a carotid hold, a type of chokehold that cuts off blood flow to the brain.

After McClain lost consciousness, paramedics arrived on the scene and administered 500 milligrams of ketamine, a powerful sedative, in an attempt to calm him down.

After receiving the ketamine, McClain’s condition deteriorated and he went into cardiac arrest.

The paramedics then began performing CPR and transporting him to the hospital. However, McClain never regained consciousness and was declared brain-dead three days later.

The cause of death was ruled as “undetermined” but the coroner listed “excited delirium” as a contributing factor.

The use of ketamine by paramedics in this incident has been controversial. While it is commonly used in emergency medical settings to sedate agitated or combative patients, the amount given to McClain was much higher than the standard dosage.

Additionally, McClain was already unconscious and in cardiac arrest, which raises questions about the appropriateness of administering the drug in that situation.