October 2, 2014 at 11:00 pm, a subject identified as Michael Daryle Rose (a white male, age 49), contacted the Flagstaff police and fire dispatch via 911 and requested to be transported to the hospital because he was not feeling well.

Upon arrival Guardian Medical and Flagstaff Fire personnel were not able to get Michael to allow them to care for him nor would he get into the ambulance.

Michael stated he had a history of paranoia and hypertension. Medical personnel requested Flagstaff Police responded to assist in helping Michael find a bag he had lost. Fire and medical personnel had worked with Michael for approximately 45 minutes attempting to get him into the ambulance to go to the hospital to get checked out medically. Police officers assisted with getting Michael his bag from a hotel room.

As Police and fire attempted to coax Michael into the ambulance, he became agitated and tried to kick fire personnel. Michael was taken to the ground by the officer and fire personnel helped secure him as the officer called for back up. During the struggle the officer was punched in the face by Michael. The officer repeatedly requested Michael to stop resisting and threatened to use his Taser. When Michael did not stop resisting, the officer put his Taser against Michael’s calf area. Michael was given two intermittent pulses of energy (each approximately a second in duration) from the Taser by the officer.

Additional officers arrived and helped secure Michael in handcuffs. Michael was responsive while speaking with officers and was advised he was under arrest for aggravated assault and escorted to a patrol vehicle. At that point Michael repeated he would be willing to go into the ambulance, but he was advised he would be transported to the jail and seen by the nurse there. Medical personnel on scene treated him for some abrasions he received while struggling. Michael refused to get into the vehicle and after approximately nine minutes of unsuccessful persuasion, officers secured his legs around his ankles and lifted him into the patrol vehicle. He was transported to the Coconino Detention Facility.

While being booked in, he was non-compliant with detention officers who were performing a standard search. He was escorted to a holding cell. In the holding cell officers placed him on the floor to conduct the search. Michael became more compliant, but within minutes detention officers realized he was no longer breathing and had no pulse.

They began resuscitation efforts and called for an ambulance to respond. Despite the efforts of the officers and responding medical personnel, efforts to resuscitate Michael were unsuccessful and ultimately he was pronounced deceased at 58 minutes past midnight.

Involved agencies have requested an outside agency conduct an investigation into this incident.

Source: Combined law enforcement press release