A man in police custody died May 25 after falling approximately 20 feet from a window at a California hospital, the San Jose Police Department said May 26.
The man, in custody for violating a court order, was admitted to O'Connor Hospital in San Jose for a preexisting medical condition. Around 2 a.m. May 25, the man threatened to strike an officer and nurse in his room with a metal oxygen tank, according to police. The officer and nurse left the room to get help, during which time the man used the oxygen tank to break a window and jump onto a ledge.
The man fell from the ledge, experiencing life-threatening injuries. Hospital staff provided immediate medical care and the man was transported to a nearby trauma hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Santa Clara County district attorney's office and the San Jose Police Department's homicide unit have launched a joint criminal investigation into the incident.
Editor's note: Becker's has reached out to O'Connor Hospital for comment and will update the article if more information becomes available.