Thursday, February 27th 2014, 2:41 pm
The Moore Police Department has released a report concerning the death of a man who died while in police custody outside the Warren Theater.
According to the report, 44-year-old Luis Rodriguez died when he was at the hospital, not when he was being taken into custody by the officers in the Warren Theater parking lot.
According to the report, Officer Ryan Minard and Officer Bradley responded to the Warren Theater to assist Officer Brian Clarkson with the Moore Police Department, and officers Chad Strang and Tyler Howser with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Game Warden. Clarkson, Strang and Howser were working security for the theater at the time.
2/26/2014 Related Story: Attorney For Moore Police Officer Shares New Details On In-Custody Death
The officers were responding to the report of two intoxicated customers at the theater when they were informed of a physical fight in the parking lot.
When the officers went to the parking lot, they saw Rodriguez's wife, Nair Rodriguez, walking away from Rodriguez and their daughter. Officer Howser stopped her and asked her what happened. She told him that her daughter had lied to her and was being deceitful, so she slapped her a few times.
While Officer Howser was talking to Nair, according to the police report, Officer Strang asked Rodriguez what had happened. At first, Rodriguez told the officer that "it was none of his business, and they were dealing with a family matter." He later told the officer that his wife had slapped their daughter. Officer Strang then asked for Rodriguez's ID. But Rodriguez told him that he wouldn't give it to him.
According to the report, Rodriguez then began walking away from the officers. Officer Clarkson said Rodriguez was taking an aggressive stance with Strang and attempted to get around him several times. The officers asked to see Rodriguez's ID again, but he still wouldn't give it to him.
Officer Clarkson said Rodriguez continued to react to them aggressively and got into what he interpreted as a fighting stance, where he was "bladed" or "squared off" to them.
According to the report, Officer Clarkson said at that time, Officer Minard went to place Rodriguez into investigative detention until they could find out his identity and level of involvement in the domestic assault.
2/26/2014 Related Story: Attorney Wants Warren Surveillance Footage Of In-Custody Death
Officers said Rodriguez became aggressive toward Officer Minard. When Minard tried to handcuff him, Rodriguez reportedly pulled back and threw Minard off of him.
The other officers stepped in to help Minard get Rodriguez under control. Officer Minard and Rodriguez then fell to the ground. But Rodriguez continued to ignore the officers' requests to stop resisting and fighting them, according to the police report.
The report stated that the officers used several compliance techniques to get Rodriguez under control and handcuffed.
2/25/2014 Related Story: Cell Phone Video Released In Moore In-Custody Death Case
Once handcuffed, officers said they sat Rodriguez up and immediately called for a supervisor and medical personnel to come to their location. According to the report, while paramedics were tending to Rodriguez in the ambulance, Rodriguez stopped breathing, so they transported him to the Moore Medical Center where he was stabilized. He was then taken for a CT scan at the hospital.
According to the report, once the CT scan was completed, Rodriguez stopped breathing again. He died a short time later.
The three Moore police officers involved in the case are on administrative leave.
A lawyer for the Rodriguez's family released a cellphone video taken during Rodriguez's struggle with police.
February 27th, 2014
November 13th, 2024
October 28th, 2024
October 17th, 2024
December 12th, 2024
December 12th, 2024
December 12th, 2024