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Man Dies In Tulsa Police Custody After 'Respiratory Distress' During Foot Chase

Tulsa Police

A man died in Tulsa police custody Wednesday evening after experiencing what TPD is describing as "respiratory distress."

According to a news release, officers pursued two men who ran from them out of a group of three near 31st Street and Memorial Drive during a regular patrol aimed at reducing gun violence in the area.

One of those men, Emmitt Weaver, stopped running after a short distance, apparently because he was struggling to breathe. Police say they briefly handcuffed Weaver but seeing his condition, uncuffed him to let him use his inhaler.

Weaver reportedly asked for an ambulance and collapsed less than a minute later. Officers started CPR and EMSA arrived within five minutes, but Weaver died at a hospital.

The cause of Weaver's death has yet to be determined.

Police charged the two other men involved with illegal possession of a firearm. 

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.
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