Death of man in D.C. security guards' custody ruled homicide
WASHINGTON -- The death of a special education teacher who died after being handcuffed by security guards at an apartment building in southeast Wash., D.C., has been classified as a homicide.
A spokeswoman for the District of Columbia's chief medical examiner said Monday that homicide was the manner of death for 27-year-old Alonzo Smith.
The spokeswoman, Mikelle Devillier, says the cause of death was a heart attack complicated by "acute cocaine toxicity" and compression of his torso.
Smith died on Nov. 1. A police report says D.C. metropolitan police officers got a report about an assault at an apartment building and arrived to find Smith handcuffed by security guards. The guards were special police officers working as security guards in the apartment complex, reports CBS affiliate WUSA.
Smith was reportedly unconscious and not breathing when D.C. police arrived. WUSA reported officers began performing lifesaving efforts and took him to an area hospital, where he later died.
D.C. police are investigating Smith's death. A department spokesman says police plan to issue a statement about the findings.