Jameek Lowery went to cops for help, warned they’d kill him on FB live, then died in their custody
After Jameek Lowery, a 27-year old Black man, walked into a New Jersey police headquarter and broadcast the moment on Facebook Live while expressing fears over police killing him, he quickly died in their custody.ABC News reports Lowery was pronounced dead at a hospital on Monday morning. The Patterson Police Department admits they utilized physical force to restrain Lowery, who said he was feeling paranoid after taking a drug, and placed him in an ambulance. However, CNN reports the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office stated Lowery was unresponsive when the ambulance arrived.
The entire incident started when Lowery called 911 at 2:45 am on Saturday to tell police he took Ecstasy, a hallucinogen, and was paranoid. The prosecutor’s office says Lowery was transported to a hospital but quickly left. He called the police again to report that people were going to kill him. After both 911 calls, Lowery walked into the police headquarters, capturing the incident on Facebook Live.
While a preliminary hospital investigation showed no evidence of body trauma, prosecutors are awaiting the results of an autopsy by the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
The inconsistencies surrounding Lowery’s death have ignited protests outside the police department with hundreds of protesters demanding transparency.
At a Paterson City Council meeting on Tuesday, Lowery’s mother, Patrice King, said to the hundreds of protesters,”I want justice. I need the truth, and I’m going nowhere until I get the truth.”
She continued, “There’s gonna be justice coming. I’m gonna get justice before I leave this world. If it kills me, I’m gonna get justice.”
Before Lowery was found unresponsive on the ambulance, he posted two Facebook Live videos in which he says, “I’m just paranoid. I’m not touching nobody.”
He continued to say, “There’s somebody over there trying to kill me. Please don’t kill me officers.”
“I completely support a full investigation into Saturday evening’s events,” Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a statement. “In the meantime, I have expressed my condolences to the family of Mr. Lowery, who are suffering during this difficult time.”
Protesters are planning another rally to call for #JusticeforJameek.
Paterson PD officers lining up outside of City Hall where another rally is expected for Jameek Lowery. #PatersonRally pic.twitter.com/y3V9CW6T2T
— Anthony Zurita (@AnthonyRZurita) January 9, 2019