A man’s complaints of being followed took a tragic turn when he started foaming at the mouth and died in front of police officers, according to investigators in Florida.
The cause of his death has not yet been determined, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Investigators say the man was taken into custody Thursday, Dec. 26, after police received reports of someone exhibiting suspicious behavior at stores in the 5000 block of East Broadway.
“At 2:42 p.m., … officers responded to the report of a subject acting erratically at the Sav-A-Lot, located at 5002 E. Broadway. The subject … left the scene before officers arrived,” police said.
“Additional complaints were received from nearby businesses reporting similar concerning behavior from the same subject.”
The man, who was in his 30s, resurfaced at a bank around 4 p.m. and approached a police officer to report “he was being followed,” police said.
Concerns he might be experiencing a mental health crisis resulted in the man being taken to a wellness facility for evaluation, police said.