'Live PD' canceled two days after Javier Ambler's death in police custody became public
The reality television show “Live PD” was canceled Wednesday night, just two days after the Austin American-Statesman reported that a crew from the series was filming when Williamson County, Texas, sheriff's deputies fatally restrained, 40-year-old Javier Ambler II, a black father of two.
The Austin American-Statesman is part of the USA TODAY Network.
Footage from the March 28, 2019, incident was later destroyed and can no longer be turned over to Austin investigators, representatives of the reality TV show said Tuesday.
A&E Network, which aired 'Live PD', told reporters that Austin investigators had not asked for the video or to interview show producers. “As is the case with all footage taken by Live PD producers, we no longer retained the unaired footage after learning that the investigation had concluded,” the network said in a statement.
The Statesman and KVUE obtained video of Ambler’s final moments recorded by an Austin police officer’s bodycam. Dashcam video from Williamson County deputies who chased Ambler’s car for 22 minutes has not been released.
Three of four Williamson County commissioners Tuesday called for Sheriff Robert Chody to resign after learning of Ambler’s death and charges that Chody’s department had failed to provide evidence to Travis County investigators.
“The citizens have lost faith in him,” Williamson County Commissioner Russ Boles said.
Williamson County sheriff’s deputies attempted to pull Ambler over last year after he failed to dim the headlights of his SUV to oncoming traffic. When he failed to stop, Deputy "JJ" Johnson gave chase. After crashing multiple times into stationary objects, Ambler's car came to a stop in the adjacent Travis County, which is why investigators there are pursuing the case.
Twenty-eight minutes after the chase began, Ambler lay dying on a North Austin street after deputies held him down and used Tasers on him four times while a “Live PD” crew filmed.
The former postal worker repeatedly pleaded for mercy, telling deputies he had congestive heart failure and couldn’t breathe. He cried, “Save me,” before deputies deployed a final shock.
Fifteen months after Ambler’s death, his family has no answers about why he died, and none of the officers involved have faced any repercussions.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Live PD' to stop production after Javier Ambler police custody death
