"He has never been suspended from school. He had never been arrested. He's never had any criminal background," said Percy Coleman, the victim's father.
A father reacts to the death of his son who dies after being Tasered twice by police. Percy Coleman says his son, Phillip, was not a troublemaker.
Friday morning, the retired lawman and others accused officers of using unnecessary deadly force.
"He was real cool," said Robert Rieves, a friend of the victim. "It just don't add up to me."
Neighbors say the trouble began Wednesday night after officers responded to a domestic violence call at the family's South Side home.
Investigators say a 38-year-old Phillip Coleman struggled and spit blood at officers arresting him for allegedly attacking his 69-year-old mother.
"It was just a lot of frustration going on," said witness Steven Cole. "He was in the car. He was pounding on the paddy wagon door."
Authorities say Coleman even scuffled with cops while in the lock up.
According to police, Coleman was Tasered twice. Once when he fought with officers -- trying to transport him to court -- and again after he was taken to the hospital.
"The police took action to restrain him and he was given a sedative which is protocol here," said Roseland Community Hospital's Carolyn Croswell.
He later died.
But neighbor Dana Robinson says Phillip was acting strangely before his encounter with police.
He says the younger Coleman slapped his father after cornering him and his wife in their garage.
"He runs across the alley and runs into a fence, and then he jumps up again and cut his hand on barbed wire," said neighbor Dana Robinson.
A spokesperson for the independent police review board is investigating, this as friends struggle with the loss.
"Phillip was a very, very nice young man," said family friend Colleen Morgan.
