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Man Found Dead in Unlocked Azusa Police Car Outside Station

Independent reviews are underway to examine how an unlocked, out-of-service unit was accessed.

Overview

  • Officers discovered the man unresponsive in the back seat early Thursday at about 4:50 a.m. inside a patrol car parked in front of Azusa police headquarters.
  • The vehicle was out of service for maintenance and had been left unlocked, which the police chief said should not have happened.
  • Police said the man was not in custody when he entered the car, and officers did not know he was inside.
  • Multiple reviews are in motion, including an autopsy by the county medical examiner, a criminal investigation by Azusa detectives, an independent inquiry by the JL Group, and a handoff of evidence and security footage to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
  • Police noted he had been arrested on March 20 and released Monday, and investigators are working to learn when he entered the car and how long he remained there.