The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is currently investigating an incident that resulted in the in-custody death of a 32-year-old man named Rashaud Van Martin, as reported by News4Jax. News4Jax detailed that the encounter with police happened on Friday evening, and the subsequent death occurred after Martin was taken into custody under Florida's Baker Act. According to First Coast News, the situation began as a response to a domestic battery call on Harriet Avenue where Martin attempted to flee from officers and was later detained after tripping himself.
First Coast News reported that upon police arrival, Martin showed signs of severe distress; this included profuse sweating, rambling incoherently, and displaying aggression, the situation escalated to the point where authorities had to call for medical assistance from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department however the complainant informed the officers that Martin suffered from Schizophrenia and was not currently on his prescribed medication. First Coast News also mentions that despite the presence of officers and medical personnel, Martin's condition deteriorated after he was transported to the receiving facility under the Baker Act—a law allowing for temporary institutionalization and examination of individuals presenting a possible danger to themselves or others due to mental illness.
As stated in Action News Jax, upon arrival at the mental health facility, Martin became unresponsive and, although life-saving measures were promptly administered, he was pronounced dead at the hospital, all this transpired while the investigation into the original criminal complaint concluded with no charges being pressed. Action News Jax notes that the Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released an autopsy or toxicology reports to determine the exact cause of Martin's death, a period of anxious waiting settles for all involved until the facts piece themselves together through the slow grind of due process.
