A theft suspect died Saturday while being arrested in Fullerton, authorities said.
Officers responded to a theft-in-progress call of a business in the 2200 block of North Harbor Boulevard shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday and located two men and a woman, according to Fullerton Police Department spokeswoman Kristy Wells.
“The three suspects reportedly exited the business with merchandise and were attempting to enter a waiting vehicle,” Wells said. “Officers arrived while the suspects were still near the vehicle. Upon contact with officers, all three suspects fled on foot down a steep embankment and into dense brush near a golf course.”
Police found a man and a woman but the second male suspect evaded officers and remains outstanding. The officers escorted the woman up the embankment, however the male suspect had difficulty getting up the steep terrain and dense vegetation.
“During the ascent, he repeatedly fell to his knees and was only able to take a few steps at a time,” Wells said. “Recognizing his difficulty, officers made the decision to remove his handcuffs to allow him greater mobility while navigating the steep slope.”
The suspect had become unresponsive but was still breathing, as officers discussed removing the handcuffs. They began rendering medical aid — including Narcan — and requested assistance from Fullerton Fire Department paramedics. Officers performed CPR when it was determined that the man was no longer breathing.
Arriving paramedics rushed him to a hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead, she said.
“An initial review of the incident, including body-worn footage, indicates that no force was used by officers,” Wells said. “However, because the male suspect was in police custody when he became unresponsive, the incident is being investigated as an in-custody death.”