Baltimore police say Freddie Gray should have received medical care before he was put in a police van.
Authorities made the announcement Friday at a news conference. Police also said that Gray should have been buckled in when he was in the van and he was not.
Police Commissioner Anthony Batts is refusing calls to resign, saying "that's not going to happen." He says he is focused on doing his job and reforming the department.
At some point — either during Gray's arrest or inside the van — he suffered a mysterious spinal injury that led to his death. Authorities have not explained how or when it occurred.
Six officers have been suspended with pay during the investigation.
Protests planned for Saturday
Batts said Friday that police have received a "preliminary verbal report" from the medical examiner's office on the cause of death but were still awaiting the final official report.
After a week of protests, people angry over Gray's unexplained police-custody death promised their biggest march Saturday, when they would try to "shut down" the city.
Organizers are expecting thousands of people to show up for further protests this Saturday. (Patrick Semansky/Associated Press)
The mayor thanked protesters for being peaceful so far and said the police commissioner assured her the investigation into Gray's death is moving as quickly as possible. She expects the results to be turned over to prosecutors in a week. They will decide whether any criminal charges will be filed.
"I will not deny we have had a very long and complicated history on issues such as these," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Friday. "But it's important to remember that we have an equally long history of peaceful and legal protest."
Spine injury still a mystery
Gray was arrested April 12 after he made eye contact with officers and ran away, police said. Officers held him down, handcuffed him and loaded him into a police van. While inside, he became irate and leg cuffs were put on him, police have said.
Gray was not buckled in by a seat belt, a violation of the police department's policy.
Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts, centre, said he has no plans to resign over the police custody death. (Kevin Richardson/The Baltimore Sun/Associated Press)
He asked for medical help several times, and after a 30-minute ride, paramedics were called. At some point — either during his arrest or inside the van — he suffered a mysterious spinal injury. Authorities have not explained how or when it occurred. Six officers have been suspended with pay during the investigation.
"I still want to know why none of the officers called for immediate medical assistance despite Mr. Gray's apparent pleas," the mayor said.
Asked if Gray's possible "rough ride" is a one-off, she said: "It's clearly not a one-off. The reason we have the policy around seat belts in the police vans is because of an incident that happened previously."
Rawlings-Blake was referring to Dondi Johnson, who died of a fractured spine in 2005 after he was arrested for urinating in public and transported without a seat belt, with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Protests aim to amplify struggle
The president of a black lawyers' group predicted thousands of people would turn out Saturday, when good weather is forecast and the Orioles are hosting the Boston Red Sox in a Major League Baseball game.
"Things will change on Saturday, and the struggle will be amplified," said Malik Shabazz of Black Lawyers for Justice.
Shabazz rejected the notion that he was an outside agitator who would stir up trouble.
Bernard Young, Baltimore City Council president said prior to a rally on Thursday that he hoped citizens wouldn't let "outside forces come in here and dictate how we act by destroying our infrastructure."
"We can lead ourselves. We're capable of doing that," he said.
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