The Sacramento Police Department is conducting a death investigation of a suspect that died while in police custody.

On February 20, 2016, at approximately 9:32 p.m., the 31-year-old male suspect is believed to have had a medical emergency shortly after arriving at the Sacramento County Main Jail.  The male was being triaged by jail medical staff and became unresponsive.  Emergency medical assistance (CPR) was immediately administered and the man was rushed to an area hospital by the Sacramento Fire Department where he was pronounced deceased.

The case surrounding the man’s arrest began earlier in the evening at approximately 8:38 p.m.  Officers were working directed patrol near the 2200 block of Northgate Boulevard when they observed the suspect in a parking lot walk quickly toward a vehicle and appear to discard an unknown item.  Upon contact with the man, officers found drugs in his possession during a search.  He was safely placed under arrest and transported to the Sacramento County Main Jail for booking.

Upon arriving inside the jail facility, the suspect was escorted to the nurses’ station for medical screening where he subsequently suffered a medical emergency.  Despite life saving measures given, he was later pronounced deceased by hospital medical staff.

Due to the above circumstances, the Sacramento Police Department’s Homicide, Internal Affairs and Crime Scene Investigations Units responded to the scene.  They will work with the City’s Office of Public Safety Accountability, the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office to investigate the incident.

The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause of death and forward its findings as prescribed by law.  The suspect’s identification will be released once proper notifications have been made by the Coroner’s Office.