ATLANTA — In February, a New York man was taken into custody in Cumming, Georgia, after allegedly leading police on a chase for shoplifting. After police took him into custody, they found an injury on his leg; he later died at the hospital.
Now, the family of 32-year-old Robert Powell is demanding answers about what led to his death.
Powell's family, attorneys and advocates held a news conference on Friday at the Georgia State Capitol.
RELATED: GBI investigating after man dies at hospital in police custody following shoplifting arrest
Attorneys are demanding all the names of the Cumming Police Department officers who initially engaged with Powell during the incident, unedited surveillance video from the Target store and unedited footage of the initial police encounter, and clarity on which agency was holding Powell in custody when he died.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been investigating the incident that happened on Sunday, Feb. 11.
According to a new release from the GBI in February, Powell reported having difficulty breathing at the time of his arrest. He was taken to a hospital, and his "condition continued to decline," according to the GBI.
It all started at a Target in Cumming after police responded to a call for an alleged shoplifter.
Cumming Police Department officers responded to the Target, and the man allegedly ran from them. Officers chased him as he ran into nearby woods, but he "eventually surrendered to police," who "took (him) into custody without incident."
As officers handcuffed the man, the GBI said they found an injury to his leg, and he reported "having difficulty breathing."
Police called EMS to treat the man, the GBI said, and he was taken to a hospital where his "condition continued to decline, and he was ultimately pronounced deceased at the hospital."
