KCPD investigates death of man who lost consciousness after handcuffed in Midtown
The Kansas City Police Department has opened an investigation into the death of a man who became unresponsive while in police custody Tuesday morning.
Officers responded to the corner of West 38th Street and Baltimore Avenue around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after reports that someone was experiencing a medical emergency, according to Sgt. Phil DiMartino, a KCPD spokesperson. Emergency medical responders and firefighters were also called at the same time, but the police arrived first, DiMartino said.
At least one caller said that a nude man was rolling around on the ground and appeared to be in distress, DiMartino said. When officers arrived, they handcuffed the man, who became unresponsive as officers waited for an ambulance, DiMartino said.
Fire and medical responders arrived together shortly after police had detained the man, and firefighters attempted to perform life-savings measures before the man was transported to a local hospital in an ambulance. The man died shortly after arriving at the hospital, DiMartino said.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner has not publicly determined the man’s cause of death as of Wednesday afternoon.
