Police: Video Didn't Capture Suspect's Fatal Spine Injury
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Freddie Gray died of a massive spinal injury. Police reveal new details about his arrest in West Baltimore, but they still are not saying when or how exactly the fatal injury happened.
Rick Ritter has the latest.
The six officers involved in the incident have been suspended. Police say Freddie Gray requested medical attention during his arrest and never received it, but still have very few answers on how he died.
The death of Freddie Gray has tensions higher than ever across Baltimore.
"We are a community that's on edge right now," said Commissioner Anthony Batts, Baltimore City Police Department.
City leaders are sharing their own emotions.
Click here for the latest on the investigation into Freddie Gray's death.
"I'm angry that we are here again, that we have had to tell another mother that their child is dead," said Mayor Rawlings-Blake.
On April 12, cell phone video goes viral. Freddie Gray can be heard screaming as he's dragged into the back of a police van.
This, just after police say they chased Gray down while he was running from officers investigating drug dealing.
Less than an hour later, Gray was in the hospital in a coma. A family attorney says his spine was 80 percent severed at his neck. He died Sunday morning.
"Our community is experiencing a great deal of trauma," the mayor said.
Click here to see the first page of the court documents. Click here to see the other pages.
Under fire for police brutality accusations, the city released brand new video from police cameras containing a glimpse of Gray's arrest.
"There was no physical bodily injury that we saw," said Deputy Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez, Baltimore City Police Department.
And for the first time, we're told Gray did request medical care.
"Mr. Gray early on asked for his inhaler," said Rodriguez.
Documents obtained by WJZ state officers found a small knife in Gray's pocket, but claim he was taken into custody without force or incident.
"I know Mr. Gray suffered a very traumatic injury, but I don't know if it happened prior to him getting into the van or while he was in the van," Rodriguez said.
Police say Gray's autopsy results show no signs of physical force and that a taser was drawn, but never used.
The police commissioner expects the investigation into Freddie Gray's death to wrap up by Friday, May 1.
The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office will then decide whether any charges should be filed in the case.
The police commissioner says the department is now reviewing its policies on prisoner transports and when officers should call medics for suspects.