The Hayward Police Department, after weeks of silence on the issue, has released bodycam footage capturing the final moments of Nathan Hoang, a 41-year-old combat veteran who died in police custody on March 12. The release includes video evidence of the confrontation between Hoang and the responding officers, as reported by the Mercury News, wherein Hoang, post-takedown, was subjected to the sedative midazolam by an EMT and later went unresponsive.
During an attempt to detain him after he was seen swinging a screwdriver at police, officers used a Taser before placing Hoang in handcuffs and restraining him on a gurney. Shortly after being put into an ambulance, monitored by officers, Hoang went unconscious and required CPR. Contradictorily, under the supervision of the police, a video released by Hayward PD shows the emergency intervention. The cause of Hoang's death, according to the Hayward Police Department, was a heart attack, with complicating factors including methamphetamine use, an enlarged heart, and the struggle with police.
This incident has sparked further investigation by the Hayward Police, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, and other external bodies to examine the use of force and the administration of the sedative. The midazolam injection has raised questions due to its controversy and connection with other in-custody deaths, as detailed in a prior Associated Press investigation, which introduces another layer of complexity to the case. The Hayward Police had refrained from publicizing the death, citing the need to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation as the reason for their delayed disclosure, Hoodline reports.
Representatives from Falck, the ambulance service involved, and where the paramedic was supposedly employed, have not given statements regarding their role in the events leading to Hoang's death. Hoang's family has publicly described his struggles with PTSD, mental health issues, and drug addiction, adding personal context absent in the early discussions of the case. The official cause of death, while still under wraps by authorities, points to a combination of underlying health conditions, drug interaction, and the physical and chemical restraints applied.
