Summary

INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY INTO THE DEATH OF PATRICK AARON LEE, 21 WHO DIED AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A CONFRONTATION WITH POLICE OFFICERS. POLICE WERE CALLED TO NASHVILLE'S MERCY LOUNGE IN REGARD TO A DISORDERLY PERSON. AS THE OFFICER ARRIVED, TWO EMPLOYEES STANDING OUTSIDE THE LOUNGE POINTED THE OFFICER TO PATRICK LEE, WHO WAS ALSO STANDING OUTSIDE. LEE HAD BEEN EJECTED FROM THE BUSINESS FOR ACTING STRANGELY AND REPEATEDLY TRYING TO GET ONTO THE STAGE. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AFTER LEE KEPT TRYING TO REENTER THE LOUNGE. WHEN OFFICER BROOKS GOT OUT OF HIS CAR TO TALK TO LEE, LEE ADVANCED TOWARD HIM SO CLOSELY THAT BROOKS HAD TO HOLD OUT HIS ARM TO KEEP HIS DISTANCE. BROOKS ASKED FOR LEE'S NAME. LEE RESPONDED "BLUE." BROOKS ASKED LEE FOR IDENTIFICATION. LEE TURNED AWAY FROM BROOKS TO CONCEAL WHAT HE WAS GETTING FROM HIS POCKETS. BROOKS TOLD LEE TO SHOW HIM HIS HANDS. LEE GAVE HIM HIS DRIVERS LICENSE AND THEN SUDDENLY REMOVED HIS SHIRT AND ADVANCED TOWARD BROOKS AGGRESSIVELY. BROOKS USED PEPPER SPRAY ON LEE AND ORDERED HIM TO GET ONTO THE GROUND. INSTEAD, LEE REMOVED THE REST OF HIS CLOTHING AND BEGAN RUNNING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT NUDE. BROOKS GOT INTO HIS POLICE CAR TO KEEP UP WITH LEE AND CALLED FOR BACKUP. ANOTHER OFFICER WHO CARRIES A TASER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BACKUP OFFICERS TO ARRIVE. OFFICER JONATHAN MAYS SAW LEE IN THE PARKING LOT ACTING IN A COMBATIVE MANNER AND TOLD LEE TO GET ON THE GROUND OR THE TASER WOULD BE USED. LEE REFUSED TO COMPLY. MAYS DISCHARGED THE TASER. LEE WENT TO THE GROUND BRIEFLY. AS OFFICERS TRIED TO PUT HANDCUFFS ON HIM, HE GOT BACK TO HIS FEET AND TRIED TO FLEE. LEE WAS NUDE AND SWEATING PROFUSELY. HIS SKIN WAS VERY SLIPPERY AND WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE OFFICERS TO LATCH ON TO. OFFICER JAMIE SCRUGGS, WHO HAD ARRIVED BY THIS TIME, ASLO CARRIES A TASER. SCRUGGS FIRED HIS TASER, LEE WENT DOWN MOMENTARILY. THE TASER PROBES LOSE CONTACT AND LEE AGAIN RETURNED TO HIS FEET ACTING IN A COMBATIVE MANNER. OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO USE PEPPER SPRAY TO BRING LEE UNDER CONTROL. IT SEEMED TO HAVE NO AFFECT. THEY ATTEMPTED TO USE BATONS ON THE LOWER PART OF HIS LEGS TO BRING LEE INTO CUSTODY. THE BATONS ALSO SEEMED TO HAVE NO AFFECT. OFFICER MAYS FIRED HIS TASER AGAIN AT LEE. MAYS SAID LEE IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE PROBES FROM HIS BODY. SCRUGGS THEN FIRED HIS TASER A SECOND TIME. LEE WENT TO THE GROUND AND WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. DUE TO HIS BIZARRE BEHAVIOR, AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED IMMEDIATELY TO EVALUATE LEE. OFFICERS ASKED LEE WHAT HE WAS TAKING TO CAUSE HIM TO ACT IN SUCH A STRANGE FASHION. LEE RESPONDED LSD OR PCP. FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDICS ARRIVED AND BEGIN TO EVALUATE LEE. AS THEY WERE DOING SO, HE WENT INTO CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY DISTRESS. LEE WAS RUSHED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL AND LATER DIED. DURING THE CONFRONTATION, LEE WAS HIT BY TASER PROBES FOUR TIMES. HE WAS TASED MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS NOT KNOWN AT PRESENT WHAT, IF ANY, ROLE THE TASER HAD IN CAUSING LEE'S MEDICAL DISTRESS. AN AUTOPSY WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH.