A 62-year-old Long Island, New York, man died after he allegedly fled from police, and the officers had placed handcuffs on him.
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The incident unfolded on Nov. 10 at Huntington Station, 33 West 11th S., around 1:20 p.m., according to The New York Post, citing the Suffolk County Police Department. During a patrol check at Alfred J. Walker Memorial Park, officers approached Long Island resident Victor Santos, who allegedly fled on foot.
After running Santos's police records, the officers reportedly discovered he was wanted on a parole warrant. The 62-year-old reportedly ran from the park to the South Huntington Water District on Fifth Avenue South.
After tracking Santos for about 30 minutes, witnesses directed officers to a grassy area where Santos was hiding, per Patch. The officer then reportedly ordered Santos not to move, placing handcuffs on him as he lay face down.
However, when the police officers rolled Santos over, he was reportedly unresponsive.
Investigations Opened After Handcuffed Man Dies in Police Custody
The officers then reportedly began life-saving measures, including CPR. Officers also used a defibrillator on the man before he was transported to Huntington Hospital.
Officers also reportedly gave Santos Narcan, an anti-overdose medication, according to the department announcement. Narcan treats opioid overdoses. However, it has no effect on an individual without opioids in their system, per the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The institute also points out that many first responders are trained to administer the drug.
Despite the officers' efforts, Santos was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Authorities haven't released a cause of death, nor have they elaborated on how he may have become unresponsive. The department claims Santos was already lying face down when officers approached him and before they placed handcuffs on him
The Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad and New York State Attorney General's Office have opened separate investigations into the Long Island man's death.
Under Section 70-b of New York's Executive Law, the Office of Special Investigation (OSI) handles any officer-involved death, whether in custody or not. It also handles cases where the Attorney General determines officer involvement is in question. If OSI determines the Santos case falls outside these rules, it must notify the Suffolk County District Attorney in writing.
