FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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BALTIMORE, MD – Today, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced his decision not to seek charges in the Tuesday, June 24, 2025 fatal police-involved in-custody death that occurred in the City of Baltimore, Maryland.
On June 24, 2025, at approximately 9:40 p.m., a man, later identified as Dontae Melton, Jr., approached an officer with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) who was in his marked police cruiser stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of West Franklin Street and North Franklintown Road. Melton appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis. While the officer spoke with Melton, Melton repeatedly ran into the street, despite requests from the officer to stay out of the street. The officer attempted to restrain Melton for his own safety but was unable to do so. When additional BPD officers arrived on scene to assist, they placed Melton in handcuffs and leg restraints. The officers called for emergency medical services (EMS). While waiting for EMS, Melton became unresponsive. Despite officers making multiple requests, EMS never responded. Officers then transported Melton to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead the following day, June 25, 2025.
The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) began investigating the fatal police-involved in-custody death on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, and concluded its investigation on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. After completing its investigation and evaluating all the available evidence, the Office of the Attorney General has determined that the subject officers did not commit a crime under Maryland law. Accordingly, the Attorney General has declined to prosecute the subject officers in this case.
A copy of the IID’s detailed investigative findings and analysis of relevant legal issues can be found in its declination report.
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