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WKYC speaks with suspect at center of aggressive, viral arrest in Akron

Police are investigating the incident.

It’s a story that has grabbed national attention: A struggle between Akron police and a man caught on video.

We've already heard from police (who say they are investigating the incident), but Tuesday, WKYC spoke to the man they put in handcuffs: Patrick King, who is currently in the Summit County Jail.

"I was being crushed to death," King, who spoke through a video feed at the jail, told us. "I felt like everything was turning black. My back and my head hurt [now], and I just can't get comfortable."

Video of King's arrest went viral on Facebook. Akron police said the confrontation happened when officers stopped King, who they believed was leaving what they call "a known drug house."

King tells us he never walked in the home, but when police asked him for his identity, King did admit that he lied about who he was.

"I did initially, yes," he said. "I admit that. But like I said, what right do they have just to accost someone walking across the street?"

King also had a warrant out on him from Cleveland. Police said King resisted arrest—but he claims PTSD from a car accident about 25 years ago, along with claustrophobia, led to the struggle.

King was tased, but police say there was no success in getting the situation under control. King was also struck more than two dozen times in the torso as officers tried to handcuff him.

"I couldn’t breath," Kind said. "I was fighting for my own survival."

While King said he was fighting to survive, he also told WKYC that he tried to swallow a small bag on scene—one he claims was empty.

"Tried to get it caught in my throat," he said. "So, you know, just suffocation. Like to get them off of me, get them away from me."

When we asked Akron police about the bag, they told us officers didn’t know it was in King's mouth until they rolled him over after placing the handcuffs on him. Authorities said King was taken to the hospital on suspicion of ingesting drugs, and also claim King later admitted to hospital staff that he ingested Xanax.

King said he was not under the influence of any drugs. Akron police are waiting on toxicology reports.

We asked King if, in hindsight, he would have changed anything about the incident or reacted differently.

"Well, yeah. Of course," he admitted. "I’m in such bad pain here."

King was also asked if he had a message that he would like to share following the incident.

"I don’t know what to say," he added "I just, I apologize...I’d like to, for my behavior, I guess. But I don’t see why they had to accost me."

Police have confirmed that there is body camera footage of the incident, but have not released the video, citing the early stages of the investigation. King is set to be arraigned on Wednesday.

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