A man who died while in police custody after a break-in at a home in the Oakland hills over the weekend has been identified as a former National Football League star running back, police and the city’s mayor announced Monday.
Doug Martin, 36, of Stockton, died after officers had responded around 4:15 a.m. Saturday to a burglary reported at a home in the 11000 block of Ettrick Street, located in the Chabot Park neighborhood between the Oakland Zoo and Lake Chabot Golf Course.
Officers arrived and found Martin, who they determined was involved in the break-in, Oakland police said in a news release.
“While responding officers were attempting to detain him, a brief struggle occurred,” police said. “After being taken into custody, Martin became unresponsive.”
He was taken to a hospital where he later died, and authorities have not released a cause of death for Martin or other details about the case.
Martin was born in Oakland and was a first-round NFL draft pick in 2012 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after playing college football at Boise State University. He made two Pro Bowls as a top player in the league during his time with Tampa Bay and also played for the then-Oakland Raiders in 2018.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee issued a statement Monday afternoon about Martin’s death.
“We mourn the loss of Doug Martin, an Oaklander who had a distinguished NFL career and tragically passed away Saturday morning,” Lee said. “Our condolences are with his family and loved ones, and my office has reached out to Mr. Martin’s family. They have asked for privacy during this time.”
The death is being investigated by the Oakland Police Department’s homicide section and internal affairs bureau, the Oakland Police Commission and the city’s Community Police Review Agency, and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, as is standard policy for in-custody deaths, Oakland police said.