Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow says their investigation is continuing after a man took his own life while in police custody Sunday night. Morrow says 45-year-old Eleazar Oceguera was reported to be having a mental health crisis when officers were called to the area of 54th and Meredith around 8:00 p.m. to investigate a disturbance.
Morrow says when officers arrived Oceguera was trying to enter a home through a basement window. “He was handcuffed and placed into custody. He was searched by officers before being seated in the back of a police cruiser.”
While the officers were interviewing witnesses, including a woman known to Oceguera, and evaluating the need to place him into Emergency Protective Custody, Morrow ways he used a handgun to shoot himself around 8:45 p.m.
“He was able to move his hands that were handcuffed behind him to the front of his body where he pulled the firearm from inside his pants,” Morrow says. Despite immediate lifesaving efforts by officers and Lincoln Fire & Rescue at the scene, and medical professionals at the hospital Oceguera died around 9:30 p.m.
During the Wednesday morning LPD media briefing, Morrow showed body cam images that showed the officers followed policy by searching Oceguera and placing him in handcuffs, behind the back, palms out and double locked. “They followed policy and it was missed. Those things unfortunately are going to happen from time to time,” Morrow says.
“It is tragic beyond measure, but he made a decision to move his hands in front of him and access the firearm.” Morrow says she watched the complete video of the incident and says officers treated Oceguera with kindness and patience as they tried to help him by placing him in Emergency Protective Custody with the goal of connecting him to needed resources.
The officer whose cruiser Oceguera was sitting in has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which Morrow says could last a couple of more days. LPD is reminding the public about various mental health resources available in the community, including the 988 Crisis Lifeline that’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Click here for additional mental health resources. To see all of the body cam photos released by LPD click here .
(Photos: Lincoln Police Department)