Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis police say they are investigating the death of a shoplifting suspect who complained of breathing problems.
The man died in the back of an ambulance Saturday afternoon after being arrested by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and Cumberland Police Department, the IMPD said in a news release.
The man told officers he was having trouble breathing, and an ambulance was summoned. The medical crew assessed the man and determined he could be transported to the city’s Arrestee Processing Center, but while in the back of a jail wagon, the man again complained of breathing problems.
A second ambulance was called, but the man’s condition quickly deteriorated and he died despite attempts to save his life, police said.
The man’s name hasn’t been released. The Marion County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause of death.
Police say homicide detectives and the crime lab are investigating.
Charles Miramonti, chief of Indianapolis EMS, also issued a statement. “We have already launched a full internal investigation, and, at this time, are confident the highest level of response and care was provided.”
Officers were called to a clothing store on the city’s far east side after a loss-prevention officer there reported that a man accused of shoplifting had pointed a handgun and fled from the business.
Cumberland police found a man lying in a grassy area nearby with a handgun next to him, police said. The man surrendered and was taken into police custody.
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