The death of a Bronx man in police custody after a violent struggle with cops has been ruled a homicide, officials from the city’s Medical Examiner’s office revealed Tuesday.
An autopsy showed Dwayne Pritchett, 48, died as a result of a “physical struggle with police including neck compression.”
A handcuffed Pritchett tried to grab a cop’s gun in his Kingsbridge Heights apartment on Jan. 28, authorities said Medics took him to New York Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital, where he could not be saved.
The autopsy revealed Pritchett had drugs in his system. He also suffered from cardiovascular disease and had some food stuck in his airway, according to the report.
The cops who took part in the fatal struggle remained on full duty Tuesday.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is looking into Pritchett’s death, cops said.
Pritchett family attorney Sanford Rubenstein said the neck compression finding was “significant.”
“(It) must be considered by the Attorney General’s office as they conduct their criminal investigation,” Rubenstein said.