Thomas Martinez Jr.

How they died

Less-than-lethal force

Employees from a business reported that Thomas Martinez Jr. had been "acting very violently and destroying property" at their business. When police officers arrived, Martinez was experiencing "mini seizures" and flailing at emergency responders and struck one officer. Officers were able to subdue him and place him in the prone position on the ground, where Martinez continued to have seizures. An officer tasered Martinez twice in the prone position. Martinez became unresponsive and died the next day in the hospital. Although the officers were cleared of criminal wrongdoing, an autopsy concluded that Martinez died from a combination of methamphetamine toxicity and being tasered while restrained in the prone position.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Thomas Martinez Jr., and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources