Jose Cruz, 57, died on February 1, 2018, in Los Angeles after an in-custody incident involving the Los Angeles Police Department. The immediate events began on June 15, 2014, when Cruz, then a resident at a sober living facility in Sunland, was seen acting erratically, screaming, and hitting himself. Fellow residents reported he had been awake for five days and was under the influence of methamphetamine; another resident’s attempt to restrain him prompted a 911 call.

Officers Evan Urias and Erika Avila responded and encountered Cruz in a highly agitated state. Physical force was used to detain him, including holding him down. Cruz lost consciousness during the struggle and was later pronounced dead. Reviews by the LAPD Force Investigation Division and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office concluded that his death resulted primarily from his drug-induced state and the physical exertion during the struggle and found the officers’ use of force lawful; no arrests or charges were filed.

What additional details or witnesses might help clarify the moments before Cruz lost consciousness?