ByWTOC Staff|April 3, 2021 at 1:21 PM EDT - Updated April 16 at 12:15 PM
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - UPDATE: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says the preliminary cause of death of the man who died in Savannah Police custody is suicide.
Agents say preliminary autopsy results show 60-year-old William Harvey died because of injuries to his neck caused by his shoelaces.
Investigators say at the time of his death, Harvey was in an interview room where he was being questioned in an aggravated assault investigation. The GBI report states an officer left the room and walked back in to find Harvey unconscious.
At that point, agents say the officer “attempted life saving measures.”
This investigation is still ongoing.
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PREVIOUS STORY: The Savanah Police Department has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to conduct an investigation into the death of a person in custody with Savannah Police.
According to a release Saturday afternoon, a 60-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, was brought to police headquarters Saturday morning for questioning in connection to an aggravated assault investigation and was in the interview room alone when the incident occurred.
Officers found him suffering from injuries sustained by an object in his possession.
Life saving measures were attempted, but the male died from his injuries.
All involved SPD personnel have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure during this type of investigation.
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