KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City police are investigating after a man died while in police custody after allegedly stealing from a Walmart on Thursday night.
KCPD identified the man on Friday afternoon as 45-year-old Christopher Christian.
KCPD said two off-duty officers were working security at the Walmart off Northwest Barry Road and I-29 around 6:30 p.m.
They took Christian into custody for a shoplifting investigation. After they took him to the security office, police said he tried to swallow “an unknown object.”
Officers tried to get him to spit it out, but he refused, according to KCPD. Christian had trouble breathing and passed out not long after.
Officers tried to revive him until paramedics got there, he was declared dead at the hospital.
Detectives have opened a death investigation.
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