Overview
- Police identified the deceased as Eric Baker, 52, who was stopped in Mesa for riding a bicycle without a light.
- The stop occurred near Dobson Road and University Drive on Saturday, April 4, around 8:30 p.m., according to police accounts reported by multiple outlets.
- Officers say Baker ignored commands, fled, then resisted and assaulted officers before a brief struggle ended with him in handcuffs on suspicion of aggravated assault and an active felony warrant.
- Mesa Fire Department personnel provided medical aid, and Baker was taken for pre-booking medical clearance, where he became unresponsive in the ambulance and was pronounced dead at the hospital despite lifesaving efforts.
- Detectives and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner are investigating the cause of death, and police have not disclosed what tactics were used during the encounter or whether a Taser was deployed.