AG's office releases 6 hours of body camera video from in-custody death involving Baltimore police

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Baltimore, MD - Officials released six hours of body camera video on Wednesday from an in-custody death involving Baltimore police on June 24.

The videos reveal not only the officers' response, but the impact of an issue with the EMS communication system.

Dontae Melton Jr., 31, of Baltimore, suffered a mental health crisis.

Body camera video showed Melton erratically walk into the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road. He approached and told a police officer that he thought someone was following him.

The officer tried to get Melton out of the street and onto the sidewalk, at which time a scuffle occurred.

"I'm chilling bro, bro I'm chilling," Melton said. "Can you stop, please?

Melton asked the officer to let him go, but the officer then told him to stop. Then, several officers handcuffed and restrained Melton, rolling him onto his stomach.

"We're not trying to hurt you bro, I've been with you the whole time," an officer said.

Melton than asked why nobody was listening to him as officers restrained him on the ground.

Around 15 minutes into the situation, an officer asked whether someone called a medic.

"Have we called a medic, everyone?" an officer can be heard asking.

"Yes, I'll make sure a medic is in route," another officer responded.

The officer's body camera continues to roll without any sign of a medic.

"I was just calling to let you know that the medic still hasn't arrived," a sergeant said around four hours later. "We're not hopping out or anything here, it's just that I don't know what's taking them so long."

The medic never showed up, so officers put Melton in their car and drove him to the hospital.

Investigators learned the fire department never received the call, and the officers were not aware the dispatch system wasn't working.