Man dies while restrained during ‘medical episode’ at El Paso County Jail

The Colorado Springs Police Department is investigating after a 57-year-old man in custody at the El Paso County Jail died while being restrained early Thursday morning.

According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the man had a “medical episode” at about 4 a.m. and was taken to the medical section for evaluation. There, he started acting erratically and became “self-harming,” the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies restrained the man, who hasn’t been identified yet, in an “attempt to reduce injuries” to the inmate. At that point, the inmate became unresponsive. First responders and jail medical personnel tried to revive the man, but he died at about 4:33 a.m.

The deputies have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation. No other information has been released at this time.