Marine Veteran Dies After Sedation in Hayward Police Custody During Mental Health Crisis

MarinevetNathanHoangdiedinHaywardpolicecustodyafterbeingsedatedwithmidazolamduringamentalhealthcrisis.Hiscase,disclosed6weekslater,raisesconcernsoversedativeuseandpoliceresponsetopsychiatricemergencies. AccordingtoBayAreaNewsGroup,NathanHoang,a41-year-oldMarineCorpsveteranandfatherofsixfromHayward,diedinpolicecustodyinMarch,ninedaysafteraparamedicinjectedhimwithmidazolam—acontroversialsedativelinkedtoseveralin-custodydeathsacrossthecountry.Theincident,whichremainedunreportedbypoliceforsixweeks,beganwhenHoang—sufferingfromamentalhealthepisodepossiblyexacerbatedbymethamphetamineuse—mistakenlybrokeintoahomeonVirginiaStreet,believinghischildrenwereindanger.Officersresponded,tasedandhandcuffedhim,andplacedhimonagurney,afterwhichtheparamedicadministeredthesedative.Minuteslater,Hoangbecameunresponsiveandwasdeclaredbraindead. Hoang,whoservedtwocombattoursinIraqandsufferedfromPTSD,hadlongstruggledwithmental