Officers were trying to arrest Jose "Joey" Mercado Sr. during a family fight just before midnight, police said. A member of his family had called police to report Mercado was assaulting family members and throwing beer bottles at their house. The relative said Mercado had a knife and was drunk. An officer fired a Taser, but Mercado pulled out the probes. Police physically subdued him, killing him in the process.
Victim's Name: Jose "Joey" Mercado Sr.
Agency Responsible: Richland Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Race: Hispanic
Date of Death: January 20, 2019
County: Benton
Cause of Death: Beaten
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Drug or alcohol use
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: knife
Threat Level: attack
Geography: Suburban