A 45-year-old man in custody at the San Diego Central Jail died Sunday morning after suffering medical distress in the facility's dayroom, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office announced.

Deputies were alerted by other incarcerated persons at approximately 4:20 a.m. when the man fainted and became unresponsive. Deputies located him in the dayroom and immediately escorted him to the facility's medical clinic for evaluation.

Paramedics and the San Diego Fire Department responded and transported the man to a nearby hospital. He went into further medical distress en route, prompting paramedics to initiate lifesaving measures. Despite those efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the hospital at approximately 5:20 a.m.

The man had been in Sheriff's custody since April 22, 2024, on charges related to possession of an illegal weapon. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

As required by protocol, the Sheriff's Homicide Unit is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the death. The Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) has also been notified. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office. The Sheriff's Office has assigned a Family Liaison Officer to support the deceased's family.