INDIANAPOLIS -- A man died Tuesday while in custody of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Indianapolis metro police said.
About 8 p.m., two off-duty deputies said they observed a possible drug deal between two people in the parking lot of the Bethel Townhomes in the 3000 block of Baltimore Avenue on the city’s east side.
The deputies went to investigate and saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a gray SUV. As the deputies approached him, he placed drugs inside his mouth before jumping out of the vehicle.
Deputies said the man ran a short distance before authorities caught up with him.
In an effort to subdue the man, deputies said they used stun guns to try to gain control of the situation.
Once under control, deputies placed the man’s arms behind his back to arrest him.
Moments later, deputies said the man began foaming at the mouth before becoming unconscious.
The man was hospitalized and died a short time later, police said.
"Our investigators are working with the Marion County Sheriff's investigators to determine how many times the suspect was Tased to determine what injures the suspect may have sustained. What role the officers played, that is all being determined by a collaborative effort from both agencies,” said IMPD spokesman Kendale Adams.
An exact cause and manner of death will be determined by the Marion County Coroner’s office, police said.
The man’s identity was not released.
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