Hennepin County inmate dies in custody, the second in nine days

The 36-year-old man was found unresponsive in his bed.

September 26, 2023 at 11:14PM
The Hennepin County jail, downtown Minneapolis
The Hennepin County jail in downtown Minneapolis has seen its second inmate death in nine days. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

A 36-year-old man was found unresponsive in his bed at the Hennepin County jail on Tuesday "following an apparent medical incident" and was later pronounced dead at the Hennepin County Medical Center, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

It was the second in-custody death at the jail this month. A 21-year-old man died Sept. 18 after what the Sheriff's Office also called "a medical incident."

In the latest incident, the Sheriff's Office said medical aid was immediately rendered by staff, paramedics and fire department personnel. That aid continued while he was being transported to the hospital.

The Sheriff's Office said the man's name and cause of death will be released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner. The man's family has been notified, and his death is under investigation, the Sheriff's Office said.

"I'd like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the individual's loved ones," Sheriff Dawanna Witt said in a statement. "I appreciate the consideration and professionalism that was shown by our staff and partners who responded to assist with the incident."

A 54-year-old woman was pronounced dead Saturday morning at the Crow Wing County jail in Brainerd, that Sheriff's Office reported.

Sheriff deputies checked on a medical incident about 8:45 a.m. and found the woman, who was a Beltrami County boarder, unresponsive in her bunk, a news release from the Sheriff's Office reported.

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Randy Furst

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Randy Furst is a Star Tribune general assignment reporter covering a range of issues, including tenants rights, minority rights, American Indian rights and police accountability. 

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