Police released video showing the moments leading up to former NFL running back Doug Martin‘s arrest and death while in custody to NBC Bay Area and TMZ.
The footage shows Martin, 36, an Oakland native, breaking through a fence and running into a backyard in the Oakland Hills area before yelling and busting a window to gain access inside a home on October 18. Officers chased after Martin and took him into custody after a brief struggle.
Martin screamed while being placed in handcuffs and became unresponsive shortly after, with paramedics unable to revive him. The former running back’s family had called 911 earlier in the day and said he experienced a mental health emergency before running away from home.
Martin was reportedly placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold after an incident at the Tranquility Rehab Center in Castro Valley, California, on August 13, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The former running back reportedly tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine and was also reported to have fentanyl and a hunting knife in his possession at the time, according to the report.
A clinical supervisor found Martin dancing with blood on his hands and face in the front driveway at around 9:00 a.m. local time and called authorities, telling them the former Pro Bowler had suffered a psychotic episode. The woman said she forced her way into Martin’s room and found the window was open and a screen pushed out, which led to an investigation into whether he jumped out of his second-floor window.
Martin was described in a complaint as “extremely paranoid” and responded “kinda” when asked by deputies if he was armed. Deputies told Martin that they had to pat him down before he could be observed by paramedics, which led to a struggle as officers attempted to handcuff him.
Martin reportedly hit the hand of one of the deputies, which led to the deputy punching him twice in the nose and mouth during the struggle. Martin was eventually pinned down and handcuffed, at which point three small bags of cocaine were found in his pocket and a 12-inch chef’s knife was located inside a backpack.
Deputies placed him in a 72-hour psychiatric hold due to him having jumped from his second-story window. Martin’s family confirmed that he dealt “mental health challenges prior to his death over the weekend, his family and his agent, Brian Murphy of Athletes First, confirmed in a statement shared on October 20.
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