About 50 people gathered for a protest march on Saturday, again calling for transparency and justice after the death of Breonte Johnson-Davis, who suffered cardiac arrest after he was tasered by Palmetto Police in November 2023.

Davis was a caring father, brother, son and grandson who had his whole future ahead of him, said his mother, Tracey Washington, at the protest. For months, Johnson-Davis’ parents have been rallying at Palmetto Police Department and Palmetto City Commission meetings to seek justice and answers about their son’s death.

“I’m out here fighting for my life right now because I no longer have my child,” Washington said. “I’m asking the community to please stand and support us in getting justice for Breonte, because it could be your child that’s next.”

The protest followed a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation that concluded last month that officers didn’t use excessive force in deploying a Taser two times on Davis while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. Washington said that her son was trying to change and turn his life around before he died.

In case you missed it: Palmetto mother, activist Tracey Washington dissatisfied with FDLE investigation

Following the FDLE investigation, new details emerged from a report that was written by Bradenton Police Officer Julian Jackson, who was among the local law enforcement officers who apprehended Johnson-Davis on Nov. 1. In a report emailed by Jackson to the Palmetto PD, he indicated Johnson-Davis had already been apprehended when he was tasered by other responding officers.

Johnson-Davis was pronounced dead 36 hours later at a local hospital, just eight days shy of his 37th birthday.

A Herald-Tribune investigation found that Palmetto police officers have deployed Tasers at a higher rate than any other weapon or local agency of its size. Additionally, the agency has made little data publicly available on how often its sworn officers discharge their weapons.

More: FDLE investigation finds no wrongdoing in Taser use, death of Breonte Johnson-Davis

On the night when Davis-Johnson was tasered by officers, Palmetto Police responded to what they believed to be a substance abuse call at the Circle K convenience store on 8th Avenue. Davis-Johnson had encountered staff in a state of paranoia before he fled the store and ran into a police patrol car, where he was subdued after the use of a taser, reports said. Officers then began to attempt to resuscitate Davis before EMS arrived.

Police body camera footage showed that officers encountered Johnson-Davis at 2:15 a.m. and that he was subdued by officers over eight minutes. After he was tasered a second time, Johnson-Davis could be heard speaking incoherently for several seconds before becoming unconscious, according to previous Herald-Tribune reporting.

The Medical Examiner’s Office reported the cause of death was cardiac arrest and ruled that the death was an accident. A toxicology report said that the combination of methamphetamine drugs and mild heart disease were the determining factors in Davis’ death.

Sara Parker, executive director of Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida, called for change and accountability in how law enforcement responds to mental health crisis calls.

“They (police officers) are not protecting and serving,” Parker said. “They could’ve changed Breonte’s life that day. They had a choice, and their choice was to taser him.”

Palmetto officers Caleb Cottom, Martin Iliamas, Matthew Wilson and Bradenton Police officer Jackson were named in the FDLE investigation summary. The three officers from the Palmetto Police Department have not faced any disciplinary action and remain active on the force.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Protestors call for changes after Palmetto man’s death in taser case