Cologne police handling of Pedro Corona results in severe brain injury

On 8 April, 30‑year‑old educator Pedro Corona suffered irreversible hypoxic brain damage after police restrained him during a mental‑health crisis in Cologne. After a neighbor called the police, officers placed him in a face‑down position, covered his face with a spit mask and administered the sedative midazolam nasally. He later suffered cardiac arrest lasting 23 minutes and was revived in intensive care, where doctors diagnosed severe brain injury.

A newly released handheld video from Corona contradicts the police narrative, showing the restraint methods and fueling accusations of "severe police violence" by his lawyer. Despite complaints from witnesses and legal counsel, the public prosecutor has not opened an investigation into the officers involved.

The case has drawn criticism from human‑rights groups and calls for accountability over police tactics in mental‑health emergencies.