Editor’s Note: Some may find the content of the video disturbing.
WASHINGTON — The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office has released a graphic video that shows an intense 20-minute struggle between a female inmate, who died several days after she was shocked with a stun gun, and a group of specially trained crisis officers.
The video’s release comes just days after Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Morrogh announced that no criminal charges would be filed against any of the sheriff’s staff involved in the in-custody death of Natasha McKenna.
McKenna, 37, stopped breathing after she was shocked with a stun gun. She died several days later of a combination of her mental illness and “excited delirium associated with physical restraint.” Her death was ruled an accident.
“From the outset of this terrible tragedy, I promised to cooperate fully with the investigators and to be transparent about the incident involving Natasha McKenna,” said Sheriff Stacey Kincaid in a statement. “I am fulfilling my promise.”
Kincaid introduces the video saying that there is no better way to share what happened that night than to make the video public.
The video documents the sheriff’s staff, clad in white protective jumpsuits and masks, as they remove McKenna, who is naked, from her cell, where she had been throwing bodily fluids. They handcuff her, place a “spit” mask over her head and try to put her into a padded restraining chair. She can be heard yelping and grunting as she physically resists them, but she eventually quiets down after she is shocked.
According to the prosecutor’s report, she was stunned four times within the span of 2 minutes and 37 seconds.
Staff realized she wasn’t breathing as they took her to a van, intended to transport her to another facility in Alexandria. Staff begin providing CPR as an ambulance is called.
The sheriff’s office also released incident reports related to McKenna’s detention, totaling 110 pages and spanning a week’s time.
Now that the criminal investigation has ended, Kincaid says she plans to begin an internal investigation, which will include a review of policies and procedures.
She also pledged to create what she called a “jail diversion program” that will provide the treatment that those with mental illness “so desperately need and deserve.”
McKenna had been previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had visited several hospitals in the days leading up to her detention at the Fairfax County jail.
The video, which was posted to the sheriff’s office YouTube channel, was edited “to protect Ms. McKenna’s privacy.” Some may find the 48-minute video graphic and disturbing.
WTOP’s Michelle Basch and Amanda Iacone contributed to this report.
