KAILUA-KONA— The death of a man who was in police custody in Ocean View has been ruled inconclusive, pending toxicology results, an autopsy concluded Wednesday.
KAILUA-KONA— The death of a man who was in police custody in Ocean View has been ruled inconclusive, pending toxicology results, an autopsy concluded Wednesday.
Police responded to the home of Jonathan Watson, 46, on Monday morning after a man called them saying he had been shot. Watson accidentally shot himself in the left leg, police said in a press release, which was bandaged before police arrived.
When the first three officers arrived, Watson came out of the house “in an aggressive manner.”
He fought with two of the officers, one of whom was injured on the leg, said Major Mitchell Kanehailua of the police department.
Watson was taken into custody and a police sergeant arrived on scene shortly after, Kanehailua said. Watson became unresponsive and officers attempted to revive him, which was taken up by medics upon their arrival. Watson was declared dead at 3:40 p.m. Monday at Kona Community Hospital.
Kanehailua said the toxicology study and medical examiner’s final report normally take two to three weeks, although the examiner may complete it earlier.
The injured officer did not require medical treatment, he said, and officers have recovered the firearm they believe responsible for the injury.
“As is standard practice when someone dies while in police custody, the Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigations Section is conducting an investigation into the death and the circumstances leading to it, and the Office of Professional Standards is conducting an administrative investigation,” police wrote.
The officers have returned to normal duty, Kanehailua said.