An Alabama man died days after he was tased by police officers while experiencing a mental health episode, according to his family.
John Daniel “LJ” Scott Jr, 39, died on Tuesday following his encounter with the Decatur Police Department.
On April 15, officers responded to a call from Scott’s mother, who requested assistance due to a mental health crisis involving her son.
An officer reportedly spent an hour engaging with the man before leaving the scene.
Later that day, authorities responded to the Brookridge Apartments and found Scott in the parking lot, sweating and displaying erratic behavior.
Police encouraged him to board an ambulance for transport to a mental health evaluation. They told him he had a warrant out of Morgan County and they could either arrest him or take him to the evaluation. He refused the evaluation.
As officials tried to arrest him, Scott was mildly panicked and unable to turn around as instructed.
Police claim Scott then became “combative” as four officers struggled to take him into custody. Scott fell to the ground and began to yell and howl. At the same time, officers were trying to get him to turn onto his stomach and place his arms behind his back.
Officials then deployed a taser while repeatedly ordering him to turn onto his stomach.
Scott yelled, “I can’t breathe,” as he remained on the ground. In body camera footage, police are seen telling him to let go of their legs and comply with their demands.
While in handcuffs, police pulled him up off the ground.
“Due to his significant physical size and strength, officers were forced to employ measures in response to his resistance (including Taser deployments) with multiple unsuccessful attempts to gain control,” police said in a statement.
He was booked into Morgan County Jail and about an hour later, corrections officers noticed he had begun exhibiting signs of medical distress and called an ambulance.
He was first taken to Decatur Morgan Hospital and then Huntsville Hospital, where he died on Tuesday.
The arrest followed “a series of incidents likely linked to both medical and mental health struggles compounded by suspected drug-induced psychosis.”
Autopsy results are pending, according to NBC News.
The city has battled allegations of excessive force. In September 2023, Steve Perkins, 39, was shot by police outside his home.
