Former NFL RB Doug Martin dies in Oakland police custody

Former NFL running back Doug Martin died early Saturday, Oct. 18, after collapsing in Oakland police custody following an incident at a residence in East Oakland, city officials and the player’s family said. Police responded shortly after 4:15 a.m. to reports of a possible burglary and a person in medical distress on Ettrick Street. Officers located Martin inside the home, a brief struggle occurred as they attempted to detain him, and he became unresponsive after being taken into custody, police said. Paramedics provided aid at the scene and transported him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The Oakland Police Department confirmed Martin was the person who died but has not released a cause of death. The Alameda County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy will be conducted. The department’s homicide section and internal affairs bureau have opened investigations, and separate reviews are being carried out by the Oakland Police Commission, the Community Police Review Agency and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. The officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, the department said.

Martin’s family released a statement asking for privacy...