HAYWARD, Calif. — Video released by the Hayward Police Department shows the arrest of a man who allegedly broke into a home wielding a screwdriver before attempting to flee by climbing to a rooftop, KRON reported.
The suspect was arrested on March 12 after officers responded to a reported burglary. According to the Hayward Police Department, the suspect broke into an elderly couple’s home while wielding a screwdriver.
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Police released body camera footage and a 911 call recording on Aug. 20. During the 911 call, the victims were frantic as they described the man’s attempts to enter the home. The video shows officers tracking the man to the backyard of a neighboring home, where he climbed onto a roof to evade arrest. Officers attempted to de-escalate and take the man into custody, but he jumped and ran.
The suspect swung the screwdriver at an officer before fleeing again.
As officers approached the man with guns raised, one officer identified the object.
“Tase him, he has a screwdriver,” the officer said.
After appearing to be struck by multiple TASER prongs, the man fell to the ground and began removing the prongs. As he attempts to remove them, officers can be heard telling the man to stop fighting.
“He’s locked up,” an officer said before they moved to take the man into custody. He continued to struggle against the officers as they restrained him, refusing to allow them to apply handcuffs. After officers succeeded in handcuffing the man, they turned him on his side.
The suspect can be heard shouting “kill me” as officers placed him on a stretcher. According to police, he was conscious and speaking when loaded into an ambulance. Less than 10 minutes later, a paramedic called for assistance, and an officer began CPR after the suspect suffered a medical emergency in the ambulance.
The suspect was hospitalized in critical but stable condition and later transferred to another facility, where his condition worsened. He died nine days later.
According to the Alameda County Coroner’s Office, the suspect’s cause of death was brain damage caused by cardiac arrest, brought on by a combination of methamphetamine toxicity, an enlarged heart and physical exertion from the altercation.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the officers’ actions, while the police department has launched an administrative investigation with support from a use-of-force consulting firm.
