Update: January 6, 2023 at 1:32 pm.

On January 3, 2023, at around 10:00PM, Dallas Police officers Corey Barnes, Mario Hamilton, Rachel Rice, and Ronnie Stacy, responded to assist DFR with a combative patient on Cardiff Street.

The preliminary investigation determined a family member called 911 saying 43-year-old Manuel Najera was not himself and was acting strangely.

At 10:08 pm, officers arrived on scene and found DFR and a family member trying to calm Najera.

At 10:09 pm, officers attempted to talk with Najera before placing him into handcuffs using minimal force.

Najera was then placed on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.

At 10:17 pm, Dallas Police Officer Hamilton got into the ambulance along with DFR and Najera and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

A short time after leaving the scene at around 10:21 pm, Najera went into cardiac arrest.

Body worn camera footage shows Officer Hamilton get out of the ambulance so DFR could administer life saving measures.

At 10:47 pm, the officers then followed the ambulance to a local hospital.  

Najera died at the hospital at 11:19 PM. 

The investigation is on-going, and the Dallas Police Special Investigations Unit is investigating as a death in custody.

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office was notified and responded and will conduct their own investigation.

The Dallas Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on January 4, 2023.  Autopsy and toxicology results are pending.

The Office of Police Community Oversight was made aware of the incident and responded.

IN AN EFFORT TO BE TRANSPARENT, THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RELEASING THE BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT.  

Body worn camera video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/OhcfrpukCbM

Original Post: 

On January 3, 2023, at about 10:00 PM, Dallas Police responded to a request to assist Dallas Fire Rescue with a combative patient at 5122 Cardiff Street. 

The preliminary investigation determined when officers arrived DFR and a family member was trying to control the man. Officers were able to place the man into handcuffs with minimal force and he was placed on a stretcher and loaded into a DFR ambulance for transport.  While on the way to a local hospital, the man went into cardiac arrest. The man died at the hospital at 11:19 pm.

The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office responded to the scene and will conduct an independent investigation. The Office of Community Police Oversight was notified and also responded. 

The investigation is ongoing and is being investigated by the Special Investigations Unit as a death in custody. The case is documented under case number 001772- 2023.