A Northern California man, who was undergoing mental health episode died after police officers kneeled on the back of his neck, his family members said in a fresh lawsuit. The police officers kneeled for nearly five minutes to subdue the victim, the family alleged, a US media reported.

Angelo Quinto, 30-year-old, was suffering from “suffering from anxiety, depression, and paranoia for the previous few months,” his family’s attorneys said in a wrongful death claim.

The claim was filed on February 18 by the family’s attorney.

After Quinto exhibited a violent episode, his sister Isabella Collins called police to their Antioch, California, home on December 23, fearing he would hurt the family members.

Before police arrived, Quinto’s mother was holding and calming Quinto down. However, when the two officers reached the spot, they grabbed Quinto from his mother’s arms and was taken to a hospital, a CNN report said.

And the hospital declared him dead three days later.

According to a US media report, still two months after the death, police have not issued a press release.

“These Antioch police officers had already handcuffed Angelo but did not stop their assault on the young man and inexplicably began using the ‘George Floyd’ technique of placing a knee on the back and side of his neck, ignoring Mr. Quinto pleas of ‘please don’t kill me,'” CNN quoted family lawyer John L Burris as saying.

In an exclusive statement to CNN, the Contra Costa County Sheriff said “Quinto’s cause of death is still pending”.