José Urdaneta in April of 2007 was a husband and father of two young kids.
On the 24th of April in the parking lots of the 1400 block of Main Street - Today, that area is the Norwegian, West Side Show Room, and Rockford Billiard Cafe - Jose was the victim of an attempted armed robbery.
Jose was shot in the upper left arm area but his injuries were considered non life threatening. On April 28th 2007 Jose went to the Belmont Apartments. While he was there, an alleged dispute turned into a loud verbal confrontation that led to the police being called. Jose left the building in visible distress with blood from the gunshot wound coming out from a tube.
Arriving on the scene were Rockford police officers Sisomphou “Toon” Singmouangthong and Richard Campion.
Toon and Campion saw the blood on Jose’s arm and immediately treated him as a suspect. The officers grabbed Jose and put him in handcuffs behind his back. Toon, without cause or justification, conducted a leg sweep, forcing him to be face down on the ground.
From there, Toon knelt on the back of Jose while Campion held down Jose’s legs. After a couple minutes of this restraint, Campion called for backup.
Shortly after, RPD officers Robby Hatfield, Ryan Cory, and Christopher Jones responded to scene. Jones and Cory joined in on the restraint of Jose by holding down his shoulders and head. Hatfield took out his department issued asp (metal telescopic batons) and began repeatedly striking Jose in the body.
This restraint continued as Hatfield called for backup. Then Rockford Police officers Erik Gulbrantson and Jeffrey Andrews pulled up to the Belmont apartments. They seen Jose being held down by five officers with onlookers witnessing the abuse.
Andrews put cuffs around the ankles of Jose Urdaneta then connected to the two cuffs hogtying Jose.
Throughout this entire experience Jose Urdaneta was yelling “I can’t breathe” and, “they are trying to kill me.”
Officers never let Jose up. They were on top of him, punching him and beating him with asps as he was yelling for help.
Jose Urdaneta eventually fell unconscious. He had been beaten into a coma, which ultimately resulted in his death three days later.
Toon, Campion, Hatfield, Cory, and Jones are still Rockford Police department officers.
May Jose Urdaneta Rest in Power.
This was the 13th deadly force incident by police in Winnebago County in the 2000’s and the first non shooting fatal incident.