LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — Lafayette Police Department on Monday shared bodycam video from a domestic battery call that led the arrest of an 36-year-old man who later died while in custody.

Lennis Mitchell on Sept. 22 suffered a medical emergency while being taken to a hospital after he’d been taken into custody, the department said in a news release issued Monday. The video was shared on the department’s YouTube page.

Officers were sent just after 9:30 a.m. Sept. 22 to the 1000 block of South Fourth Street after receiving a 911 call reporting a domestic battery in progress. They found Mitchell fleeing the scene on foot. He was apprehended a few blocks away after failing to comply with verbal commands.

The investigation revealed that Mitchell and Preshous Thomas-Walls, 36, were in a domestic relationship. Witnesses reported that Mitchell forced his way into the Thomas-Walls’ home and dragged her by her hair into the yard, where he was seen actively battering her.

Based on witness statements and evidence, Mitchell had been arrested on preliminary counts that included domestic battery, confinement, residential entry, and resisting law enforcement.

While in custody, police said, Mitchell complained of difficulty breathing and admitted to using marijuana. Following department policy, an officer began taking him to an area hospital for a medical evaluation.

During transport, police said, Mitchell became unresponsive, prompting the officer to stop and administer first aid until medical personnel arrived. Mitchell was admitted to the hospital in critical but stable condition, but his condition worsened, and he died six days later.

The Lafayette Police Department and the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office investigating the circumstances surrounding Mitchell’s death.

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