William Wheeler

How they died

Less-than-lethal force

William Wheeler had a psychotic breakdown near his Philadelphia home. Hallucinating, high on cocaine, and armed with a pair of scissors, a steak knife, and a screwdriver, he ran into the street screaming at imaginary assailants. When Officers Gregory Schaffling and Michael Cannon arrived, they tried to calm Wheeler, to no avail. Wheeler charged them with a screwdriver. The officers deployed pepper spray, grounded Wheeler, and then used control holds to handcuff him. Minutes later, he died of "cardiac dysrhythmia" and "drug intoxication and restraint."

Why we remember them

This record exists so that William Wheeler, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources