Yolo County coroner’s officials have identified the man who died while in Davis police custody Thursday as David Elwood Shurtz Jr., 54, of Sacramento.
An autopsy was conducted, but no cause or manner of death were determined pending the results of toxicology and other tests, Chief Deputy Coroner Gina Moya said Friday.
Davis police say Shurtz was yelling and destroying property inside a room at the La Quinta Inn & Suites on Research Park Drive in South Davis when officers were summoned to the scene at about 2:30 a.m. Thursday.
Officers attempted to verbally de-escalate the situation, but Shurtz was nonresponsive, and police forced their way into the room after Shurtz reportedly made reference to a firearm and made statements indicating another person might be inside, Assistant Police Chief Darren Pytel said.
A violent struggle between Shurtz and six officers ensued, and Shurtz stopped breathing after being placed in handcuffs, Pytel said. Medical personnel who had responded to the scene immediately attempted CPR, but Shurtz could not be revived.
Four officers sustained minor injuries during the scuffle, police said.
The incident is being investigated by the Davis and Woodland police departments, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office and the Yolo County Coroner’s Office. The six involved officers, whose names have not been released, have been placed on routine, temporary administrative leave.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter at @laurenkeene