Man Behaving Erratically Dies After Violent Confrontation With Antioch Police Officers
ANTIOCH (CBS SF) -- A man behaving erratically while in a rideshare ended up dead after a violent confrontation overnight with Antioch police officers, authorities said Wednesday.
Just after midnight Wednesday, police received a 911 call from a man who was rambling incoherently, with another man heard in the background arguing over the possession of the phone with the caller along with sounds of a physical struggle, Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
Around the same time, police disptachers received an alert from a Lyft driver had activated a mobile alert and was requesting assistance after a passenger had tried to take the driver's cellphone and fled from the vehicle.
Officers responded to the area of Lone Tree Way and Ridge Rock Drive after the driver called a second time, and found a suspect who appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis.
"When officers arrived the man appeared paranoid, yelling that they were not really police officers despite the fact that they were in fully-marked APD police cars and in full uniform," said Brooks. "The officers attempted to employ crisis negotiation tactics while attempting to de-escalate the situation."
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Brooks said the man instead fled into oncoming traffic on Lone Tree Way and tried to force his way into a car by banging on the window and demanding the driver open the door. He was also almost hit by several vehicles, Brooks said.
Officers chased him to James Donlon Blvd. and a struggle ensued as the two officers tried to restrain him and get him out of the roadway.
"According to the officers, the man exhibited extraordinary strength and they were unable to gain control of his arms," Brooks said. "A third officer arrived on scene and deployed his Taser which allowed them to overcome the man's resistance. Almost immediately, after being able to get the subject in handcuffs, he appeared to lose consciousness and the officers recognized this as a medical emergency."
The officers began CPR, applied a defibrillator, and administered two doses of Narcan, used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. Brooks said there was no application of pressure to the man's neck, either by kneeling or through the use of a carotid hold, nor was there any use of pepper spray or impact weapons by the officers.
After medical personnel arrived to continue the emergency care, the man was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. He was described as Hispanic and 33 years old, but his identity was withheld pending notification of his next of kin.
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Brooks said the involved officers were placed on paid administrative leave as is customary in such incidents.
"To ensure transparency, partiality and public confidence in the investigatory process, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office is leading this investigation and they will have the full cooperation of my staff," said Brooks. "In the event the district attorney's investigation determines that our officers acted unlawfully, I want the public to know that I would request and expect the involved officers to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
Separately, Brooks said there would be an independent, third-party investigation into the incident, and the investigations would be available for public review after being completed.
"I want the residents of Antioch to know that they will be provided answers because of the thorough investigation by the district attorney's office. Furthermore, in the event the investigation concludes that there was any negligence, we will seek the fullest effort to ensure there is accountability" said Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe. "As a former member of the United States Navy, I've always had a deep respect for the vocation of law enforcement and do believe officers entered the profession with the desire to serve. However, we also can't ignore the fact that there are critical reforms that are needed in the profession as a whole nationwide."
Brooks said currently the department does not employ officer body cameras, and that use of body cams is one of elements of a police reform proposal by Mayor Thorpe.