A man who died in police custody last month had a history of seizures and was showing signs of distress before being pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, according to Dallas police.
Police said the man, 47-year-old Frank Ruiz, had already been treated at a nearby hospital before being transferred to the Dallas County Jail, where he couldn't stand upon being taken into the intake screening area. He died at a nearby hospital after being treated in the jail and transported a second time.
His death mark the third in-custody death in Dallas this year, according to DPD.
Ruiz was arrested after DPD said they received an emergency call around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 21, regarding a man yelling outside a southwest Dallas home.
According to DPD, Ruiz stayed outside of the home for nearly an hour. Around 10:50 p.m., he attempted to force his way into the home by throwing a brick at the home’s glass door, escalating the call to a burglary in progress, police said.
The resident told 911 dispatchers they had shot Ruiz, and police originally said he was found with a "superficial injury," and police footage shows at one point Ruiz told officers he believed a bullet ricocheted off his left leg.
In its latest update, DPD said officers found Ruiz with no visible gunshot wound once arriving at the scene around 11 p.m.
Dallas Fire Rescue treated him at the scene, where he reportedly told paramedics that he was using alcohol, prescription drugs and methamphetamines, and had a history of seizures.
Paramedics on the scene recorded an elevated heart rate and said Ruiz was showing signs of distress. He was taken to a nearby hospital and cleared by staff after approximately three hours.
Once at the Dallas County Jail, Ruiz became unresponsive after booking. Responders treated him at 3:20 a.m. before transporting him again to the hospital, where Ruiz was pronounced dead around 4 a.m., police said.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Community Police Oversight were notified of the incident and are conducting investigations. DPD’s Special Investigations Unit is also conducting its own internal investigation.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
