A 32-year-old man who was being escorted out of the Harris County Jail early Tuesday morning died following a violent struggle with detention officials, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Alexis Jovany Cardenas was being released from the downtown Houston jail at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday when he allegedly resisted detention officials’ attempts to take him to an exit door, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
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It remained unclear Tuesday afternoon why he reportedly fought cops or why a custody officer used a stun gun to strike him. The sheriff’s office stated that the stun gun was not immediately effective. Cardenas then allegedly forced his way back into the jail’s secure area, where convicts were being processed for release, according to the sheriff’s office.
Ten other people have died in Harris County Jail custody this year, including three convicts who died in a 48-hour period in June.
According to the sheriff’s office, a detention officer performed CPR on Cardenas while medical personnel responded. The guy was taken to St. Joseph Hospital and pronounced dead shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday.
The Texas Rangers have launched an inquiry into the event. The sheriff’s office stated that video footage of the altercation would be released within 45 days.
The Houston Police Department arrested Cardenas on Sunday on what the sheriff’s office described as “municipal charges.” The police department sent questions about the allegations to the City of Houston Municipal Courts Department, which could not immediately offer details about Cardenas’ charges.
