M.E: Meth Killed Man in Cuffs

Officials say man who died in police custody on Airport Way suffered acute drug intoxication

Keenan Pearson died from a drug overdose, according to the King County Medical Examiner. He was in police custody when he died Sept. 12 in Georgetown.

A man who had been placed in handcuffs by a Seattle Police officer died of a drug overdose, the King County Medical Examiner ruled.

The agency said Keenan Charles Pearson, 47, died Sept. 12 from acute methamphetamine intoxication and determined the death was accidental.

The ruling ended a nearly two-month investigation into the incident by the Independent Force Investigative Team King County (IFIT-KC). A press release issued Friday stated the findings were sent to the King County Prosecutor's Office Integrity Team, which analyzes if actions by police during in-custody deaths are justified or if criminal charges should be filed.

According to earlier information released by IFIT-KC, police found Pearson around 8:17 p.m. on Sept. 12 lying on a sidewalk in the 6000 block of Airport Way S near the underpass for Interstate 5 after he "engaged in a disturbance" in front of a business. He was unable to speak or support himself.

They had him lean on a police vehicle while they called for help to evaluate Pearson. He dropped to the ground and rolled across the road. (That section of Airport Way was still closed to traffic due to R-Day festivities.) Body camera footage showed police decided to put him in handcuffs and place him in custody to take him to a hospital, according to IFIT-KC.

Paramedics arrived and about five minutes later, Pearson lost consciousness. They attempted lifesaving measures, but they were unable to resuscitate him, according to IFIT-KC.