Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said in a statement that a preliminary investigation revealed that Jameek Lowery had called 911 at approximately 2:45 a.m. on Saturday and stated that he had taken ecstasy and was paranoid. Paterson Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services responded and transported Lowery to “a local area hospital,” but he left “after becoming erratic.” He called 911 again, according to the statement, before entering the Paterson Police Headquarters.
After calling EMS workers, “police used physical force and compliance holds to secure Mr. Lowery in the ambulance.” The statement indicates, “Hospital records indicate no acute trauma” and claims the ride to the hospital took “five to twelve minutes.” The prosecutor’s office claims Lowery entered the hospital unresponsive and “was pronounced dead at the local area hospital in the early morning hours of January 7, 2019.” The State of New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office is still determining the cause and manner of Lowery’s death.
