Neighbor questions police use of force before St. Petersburg man died after mental health call

Pinellas County’s Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force is investigating the death of 48-year-old Brian Pepal.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It could be weeks before authorities determine what caused the death of a 48-year-old St. Petersburg man who stopped breathing after an altercation with police during a weekend welfare check.

The Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force is investigating the death of Brian Pepal, but authorities have released few details about what happened.

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According to a news release from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, St. Petersburg police responded late Saturday morning after Pepal’s stepmother reported he was experiencing a mental health crisis.

The Sheriff’s Office said Pepal came out of the residence and immediately attacked officers. The release said officers defended themselves and took Pepal to the ground during the struggle.

Once Pepal was in custody, investigators said officers noticed he was not breathing.

The Sheriff’s Office said none of the force used by the officers was “intentional deadly force.” Authorities have not said what caused Pepal to stop breathing.

But a neighbor who says she witnessed the encounter is raising questions about what type of force officers used.

Elizabeth Penson said she and Pepal’s mother decided to call police after Pepal was experiencing what she described as a mental health crisis.

“I received a threat from the neighbor and his mother came up on the property because there was another incident earlier in the morning and we decided to call the police to have a welfare check,” Penson said.

She said she watched officers approach Pepal’s home before a struggle began.

“There was a scuffle back and forth,” she said.

Penson pointed to dents on a nearby truck that she believes were caused during the altercation.

She also said officers repeatedly used a taser on Pepal, a detail not included in the Sheriff’s Office news release.

“At least 5 times they tased him,” Penson said. “They kept tasing him and the next thing I’d seen they were on his back, and they were tasing him,” she said.

10 Investigates emailed the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Monday to ask whether officers used a Taser during the encounter.

The agency would not confirm whether a Taser was used.

“This is an open & active investigation and nothing further will be released at this time,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in response.

Penson said she believes more could have been done to help Pepal before the confrontation escalated.

“I feel like the system failed someone suffering from a mental situation,” she said.

St. Petersburg police have a program designed to respond to certain nonviolent mental health calls without sending traditional police officers.

The Community Assistance and Life Liaison, or CALL, program sends trained social workers to certain calls involving mental health, homelessness and other nonviolent situations. According to the city, the program has served more than 2,500 clients since it launched in 2021.

10 Investigates asked St. Petersburg police why the CALL program was not used in the response involving Pepal but was not given a response.

The medical examiner’s office says it could take weeks before the autopsy report is complete. The press release did not say that Pepal did have pre-existing medical conditions.