Oakland police have released a collection of materials from the night former NFL running back Doug Martin died in custody, including 911 calls, officer body camera footage, and surveillance video from the surrounding neighborhood. The release offers the most detailed public account yet of what unfolded on October 18, the night Martin entered a stranger’s home and later stopped breathing while officers waited for paramedics to arrive.
The footage is difficult to watch and raises serious questions about what happened in those final minutes. Multiple agencies are now investigating, and the recordings will almost certainly become central evidence as that process moves forward.
Two calls, one crisis
The sequence of events that night began with two separate 911 calls placed almost simultaneously. The first came from a homeowner who reported an intruder and urged dispatchers to send help immediately. The caller noted it was not the first time something like this had happened.
The second call came from Martin’s mother. She told dispatch that her son had left their home on foot and was in the middle of a mental health emergency. She shared that Martin regularly took sleeping pills but had gone three days without sleep. That detail became significant in understanding what officers were walking into before they ever saw him.
Martin inside a stranger’s home
Surveillance video captured Martin breaking through a fence and running into the backyard of a neighboring property. He is seen smashing a window to get inside as an alarm sounded. Officers arrived, announced their presence, and instructed Martin to show his hands. A watch commander also requested paramedics respond to the scene at that point.
When officers entered through the broken window, they found Martin inside a bathroom and attempted to communicate with him. He did not respond to their instructions before coming out. A brief physical struggle followed before he was taken into custody. Several officers held him on the ground and repeatedly told him to calm down. He was placed in handcuffs, and at least one officer unholstered a taser but did not discharge it.
What happened after Martin was in custody
While officers waited for paramedics, they monitored Martin and checked for a pulse and signs of breathing. When the private paramedic company arrived, they were unable to bring a gurney inside the residence. Officers carried Martin outside themselves. It was at that point that responders determined he had stopped breathing. The handcuffs were removed and CPR was started immediately.
Martin was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 36 years old.
Doug Martin’s story and what his family said
Martin played seven seasons in the NFL, six of them with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and one with the Oakland Raiders. Over the course of his career, he rushed for 5,356 yards and 30 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowl selection and one of the more productive running backs of his era.
His former agency, Athletes First, released a statement on behalf of his family in the days following his death. The statement described how his parents had contacted local authorities earlier that evening seeking medical assistance for their son. It noted that Martin had felt overwhelmed and disoriented before leaving home and entering a neighbor’s residence two doors away, where he was taken into custody.
Investigations ongoing
The circumstances of Martin’s death are being examined by multiple bodies. The Alameda County coroner’s office has an open investigation. The Oakland Police Department’s homicide section and internal affairs division are both conducting separate reviews. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office and the Oakland Community Police Review Agency are also involved. The officers present that night were placed on administrative leave in accordance with standard departmental policy.
No findings have been released by any of the investigating agencies.
