Second man dies in Dutch police custody in a week

A 37-year-old man from Brummen died in a hospital on Thursday after he became unwell in a police car. The police detained him earlier in the day. Another 37-year-old man also died in hospital on Thursday after he became unwell in police custody a week earlier.

According to the police, they detained the Brummen man in Eerbeek on Thursday because he was knocking on people’s doors in a “disturbed” state. Police officers handcuffed the man and put him in the car to take him to a crisis service for examination.

“During the transport, the man became unwell, and the officers started resuscitating him. An ambulance arrived at the scene and took the man to a hospital, where he died,” the police said in a statement.

The Rijksrecherche, the department that handles internal investigations at government services like the police, will investigate what happened. The cause of the man’s death is part of that investigation. The police will make no further comments until the investigation is complete.

Also on Thursday, a 37-year-old man from Hengelo died in hospital a week after the police arrested him in Borne. The police arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs. He became unwell in the police car. Footage showed two cops dragging the apparently unconscious man from the vehicle. One of the police officers put his knee on the man’s chest at least twice.

He was hospitalized in critical condition following the arrest and was taken off life support after doctors said there was practically no chance of recovery. "Marcus leaves behind two young children and the rest of his family," said Richard Korver, the attorney representing his family, in a statement sent to NL Times. He added that "the family asks the media to leave them alone for now and for weeks to come as they will have to collect themselves following this very tragic event."

The police called Marcus’s death “sad news, especially for his relatives and loved ones.” “Our thoughts and condolences go out to them first and foremost. It also impacts the officers involved in the arrest. It is still too early to judge events,” the police said in a brief statement on Thursday.

The Rijksrecherche is also investigating this death in police custody.