Virgilio Aguilar Mendez, the teenage immigrant from Guatemala who was arrested after the death of a Florida police officer, has been released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, his attorney tells ABC News.

Attorney Philip Arroyo shared a video on TikTok showing the moment Aguilar Mendez was released from prison for the first time since May 2023. The video shows the boy smiling and nodding as he talks to Arroyo.

Aguilar Mendez, a 19-year-old farm worker, was arrested in May after being assaulted by a police sergeant. Michael Kunovich, a police officer with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in St. Augustine, Florida, approached him. According to an arrest report reviewed by ABC News, Kunovich contacted him due to “suspicious behavior.”

Aguilar-Mendez, who does not speak English, tried to walk away from the officers, but a scuffle ensued, according to body camera footage and audio of the incident obtained by ABC News.

Body camera footage shows Aguilar Mendez being thrown to the ground, placed in a chokehold and shot multiple times with a taping gun. Arroyo told ABC News that Kunovich suffered a heart attack and died minutes after the incident.

ABC News obtained a copy of the autopsy report, which concluded that Kunovich suffered from an arrhythmia and died of natural causes, although the cause could have been severe heart disease, a previous heart attack, or heart and lung deterioration. It was concluded that there is a sex. For smoking. Prosecutors dropped charges against Aguilar Mendez earlier this month.

Jose Baez, the criminal defense attorney who represented Aguilar Mendez in his criminal case, said in an exclusive interview in February that the sheriff’s office made an “unlawful arrest” and that he was first contacted by police. claimed that racial profiling was the cause.

Baez also fired back at a police report that claims Aguilar Mendez was “armed with a folding pocket knife” that was in his pocket after he was handcuffed. Officers claimed the defendant ignored commands to drop the knife and they “had to forcefully remove it from the defendant’s hands.” Body camera video reviewed by ABC News did not clearly show the moment he allegedly grabbed the knife. In the video, Aguilar Mendez can be heard saying he would use a knife to cut the watermelon. Baez admitted that his job involves cutting watermelons and picking peppers.

After the charges were dropped, the St. Johns County Sheriff defended Sergeant John. Kunovich’s actions.

“Some have attempted to paint Aguilar Mendez as a victim and smear Sergeant Kunovich. I continue to support Sergeant Kunovich’s actions on the night of May 19, 2023,” said St. Johns County Sheriff Rob.・Hardwick said in an earlier statement. Month. “The risks associated with law enforcement are risks we assume when entering this profession. Sergeant Knovich died as a hero protecting the residents of St. Johns County, and nothing could be more honorable. Please protect our agency and Sergeant Kunovich’s family.” In your thoughts and prayers. ”

Mariana Blanco, deputy executive director of the Guatemalan Maya Center, an advocacy group for the teen, praised his release.

“Our work has just begun in terms of the healing efforts needed for Aguilar Mendez, and we just look forward to reintegrating him and bringing him into a community where he feels welcomed, valued, and safe. Blanco told ABC News. “This case just proves that Florida’s local governments are not prepared to work with our officials.”

Arroyo said Aguilar Mendez comes from a small indigenous community in Guatemala, which primarily speaks the Mam language.