Man dies while in police custody in southwest Las Vegas

A man reported to have taken drugs and who made suicidal threats died after he was handcuffed by Las Vegas police and stopped breathing Friday afternoon in the southwest valley.

Officers took the man into custody after they were called about 12:30 p.m. to report of a suicidal person on the 7400 block of Hawk Shadow Avenue, near Rainbow Boulevard and Russell Road, the Metropolitan Police Department announced in an emailed statement about 6:30 p.m. Friday.

A homeowner in the area had called police to say that a friend of his “made suicidal threats and had ingested an unknown type of narcotic,” Capt. Nicole Splinter said in a video included in the emailed statement.

Officers attempted to talk the man into leaving a home, but the man was “not being compliant and started acting erratic,” Splinter said.

“He then began shedding his clothing,” she said. “Still being erratic, officers decided at this time to place him into handcuffs for the safety of all those who were present.”

Officers then put the man on a gurney, and he stopped breathing. It was unclear at what time he was put into handcuffs.

First responders attempted CPR, but the man was pronounced dead at Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center, Splinter said.

The Clark County coroner’s office will identify the man and determine his cause and manner of death.

Further information about the man’s death was not immediately available.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.