A 52-year-old Baltimore woman was in critical condition at a hospital Monday after collapsing in a holding cell at a city police station the day before — an incident that has led to the suspension of a police lieutenant, according to Commissioner Kevin Davis.

Davis said there was “absolutely no use of force whatsoever” by officers before the woman’s collapse in the Southwest District police station Sunday afternoon, based on footage from officer body cameras, cameras inside the van she was transported in and other information obtained by investigators.

She had not asked for medical attention before her collapse, and police suspect “there may be some things that are attributable to her lifestyle or her existing medical condition that may play a part” in why she suddenly became unconscious and unresponsive, Davis said.

Still, Davis said he has unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident, and felt the suspension of the lieutenant — and the placement of two patrol officers on administrative duty — was in the best interest of the city pending the conclusion of the investigation by the department’s Special Investigation Response Team.

“There was no use of force in this case, but just because there was no use of force doesn’t mean that I don’t have other questions about the entire incident from A to Z,” Davis said. “And until I get those questions answered I am erring on the side of caution on behalf of the community and on behalf of these officers.”

Davis would not say why the lieutenant was suspended rather than being placed on administrative duty like the patrol officers. He said the suspension was not “a punitive thing.”

He said he wanted to be as upfront and transparent as possible, particularly given the lessons the department learned after 25-year-old Freddie Gray’s death from injuries suffered while in police custody two years ago this week.

Police did not identify the woman, the lieutenant or the officers. They said they had been in touch with the woman’s family.

The woman had an open warrant out for her arrest from Calvert County for failing to appear in court there on a misdemeanor charge, said Deputy Commissioner Jason Johnson. She was stopped by city officers about 10:47 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of S. Calverton Road, about a block from her home, by officers who were familiar with her, Johnson said.

Johnson described the interaction as “cordial.”

According to police, the officers allowed the woman to return to her home, under escort by the officers, before placing her in a police transport van and taking her to the Southwest District police station. She was put in a holding cell alone, police said.

She was discovered unconscious in the cell about 1:30 p.m., Johnson said.

Davis said the fact the woman was allowed to go home before being taken into the station was one of the things he had questions about.

Davis said detainees are often taken to police stations before going to Central Booking so officers or detectives can “debrief” them and try to get them to divulge information about crime in their local neighborhoods. Davis called that a “best practice” in policing.

Johnson said the woman did not have any injuries, and that he did not know what medical problems she was suffering from.

Davis said more information would be provided as it becomes available.

The incident comes just a few days before the second anniversary of Gray’s suffering fatal neck injuries while in police custody. His death sparked widespread protests against police brutality in 2015, and his funeral was followed by rioting. Prosecutors brought charges against six officers in Gray’s death, but none were convicted.

Davis noted the Police Department has introduced substantial reforms since Gray’s death, including placing body cameras on officers and cameras inside of transport vans.

Because of those changes, Davis said, much of the department’s interactions with the woman on Sunday were recorded, helping to show there was no use of force.

Also on Monday, a man was fatally shot on the same block where Gray was arrested two years ago Wednesday in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore. Police tape stretched across the intersection of Mount and Presbury streets, feet from a large mural of Gray. Homicide detectives were investigating.

krector@baltsun.com

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