The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a man became unresponsive while being transported for psychological evaluation under the Baker Act.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man died in police custody Friday night after being detained under Florida’s Baker Act, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday, and the cause is under investigation.

A JSO spokesperson said officers had come into contact with Rashaud Van Martin as a potential suspect in a reported domestic battery. When police arrived to the location on Harriet Avenue, JSO said the 32-year-old was standing in the road and began running from them on sight.

The man was detained after tripping and without the use of force, the spokesperson said, but continued physically resisting and displaying “aggressive, erratic behavior,” prompting police to contact the fire department for a medical evaluation. 

The original 911 caller told JSO she didn’t want to press charges against Martin, according to the spokesperson, and advised that he had not been taking his medication prescribed for Schizophrenia. Due to his history and response to evaluation, police decided to detain him under the Baker Act.

Once they arrived at the psychiatric facility, the spokesperson said Martin became unresponsive. Despite immediately being administered life-saving measures, he was reportedly pronounced deceased when he arrived at the hospital.

As of Tuesday, the JSO spokesperson said investigators are waiting on Martin’s autopsy and toxicology reports to determine his cause of death.


What is the Baker Act?

The Baker Act, also known as the Florida Mental Health Act, was created to allow for the temporary detainment and treatment of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

Being Baker Acted is not a form of arrest and does not constitute a criminal charge. It is often used by first responders and other qualified professionals to have a subject who may be a risk to themselves or others taken for an involuntary psychiatric examination.

The involuntary examination period lasts for up to 72 hours and begins upon arrival at the qualified receiving facility.

In the year beginning in July 2024, The Florida Department of Children and Families reports that 160,073 involuntary examinations were conducted under the Baker Act on more than 114,000 different people.