UPDATE: Medical attention was denied to Eric Garner http://youtu.be/34jeLb4LUiM

A Staten Island father of six and grandfather of two died Thursday after a police officer put him in a choke hold.

Video of the arrest shows a cop putting 400-pound Eric Garner in a chokehold while other officers held him down on the pavement in front of a beauty supply shop.

Witnesses said Garner had just broken up a fight between three men when two plainclothes police arrived at the scene to question him about selling untaxed cigarettes. Garner denied doing so and asked the two officers to leave him alone. At the same time, a crowd gathered around the three and some recorded with their smartphones.

When backup officers arrived, the cops moved in to handcuff Garner. Garner didn't want to be handcuffed and one cop got behind him and put him in a chokehold.

Garner could be heard yelling "I can't breathe!" six times before he went motionless. Paramedics were called, but Garner died at the scene.

Public records show that Garner had three pending criminal cases against him, all involving charges of possession and sale of untaxed cigarettes.

Police had also charged him with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, false personation and marijuana possession.

A New York City Police Department spokesman said Garner was being placed in custody went he went into cardiac arrest and died.

Outraged residents and social media users have accused police of racism and brutality.

Garner's wife, Esaw Garner, said her husband suffered from a host of ailments, including chronic asthma, diabetes and sleep apnea and was unable to work due to these problems.

A makeshift memorial has been set up for Garner, while police are continuing an investigation into Garner's death.

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