FREDERICK, Md. — Frederick City police have released bodycam video of what happened the night they subdued and sought medical help for a 23-year-old man described by police as "out of control." Daniel Michael Holley Jr. of Virginia was tased after attacking officers and later died at Frederick Memorial Hospital.
An investigation has been launched by the Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigation Division, as required by a new police reform law.
According to police, the Nov. 12 encounter began with a 911 call from a home in the 1800 block of Greenleese Drive. It was reported that a man was behaving erratically.
Police said they had been told Holley drank bleach and that he appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Chief Jason Lando said officers were trying to “deescalate” the situation and immediately called an ambulance.
Officers on the video can be seen trying to talk to Holley, who is naked and standing in the bedroom of a home.
“We just don't want you to fall, we're not trying to hurt you," one officer can be heard saying as they ask Holley to sit down on the bed.
Seconds later Holley attacked and tackled an officer into a wall, pinning him to the floor as a fellow officer uses a taser on the naked man.
Lando called the incident an "assault" and said a taser was used to “respond."
After the taser, officers can be seen struggling to get Holley in handcuffs, with one officer holding Holley’s head down. Once Holley is restrained by handcuffs, an officer tells colleagues to put Holley in a different position.
“Get him in the recovery position, put him on his side," one officer says as others continue to ask Holley to calm down.
While explaining the video, Lando said the command to put Holley in the recovery position was an attempt to "make him more comfortable, and more importantly, to protect his airway."
Lando said officers attempted to use the taser a second time, but a wire had become detached. Holley, in handcuffs, was put in a stretcher and taken to the Frederick Memorial Hospital, where he died two days later, according to police. The cause of death has not been released.
Holley was not charged with any crime.
Since the beginning of October, according to a new police reform law, Maryland’s Attorney General is assigned to independently investigate all deaths that could have involved police. This is the fifth investigation launched in the state since the law went into effect.
The Attorney General's policy is to release video within 14 days of an incident, according to spokesperson Raquel Coombs.
The officers in the Frederick incident remain on duty while the investigation is completed, according to police spokesperson Allen Etzler.
WUSA9 has been unable to make contact with Holley's family.