Police confirm inmate was tased before death, autopsy report still pending

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The Michigan State Police’s investigation into the death of 35-year-old Bradford T. Gibson revealed Gibson had been tasered during his arrest Saturday morning.

In a press release distributed by Michigan State Police Lt. Christopher Stolicker, Gibson refused to leave Wayside Central, 2000 S. Mission St., after being instructed to do so by Mount Pleasant Police officers. As a result, the officers attempted to arrest Gibson, who struggled and resisted officers.

The resisting arrest led to the use of a taser on Gibson to subdue him and allow the officers to place him in custody.

Mount Pleasant Police officers responded to a call from an employee at Wayside Central at about 1:40 a.m. The employee complained Gibson had been disturbing other customers, and refused to leave when asked.

After his arrest, Gibson was transported to the Isabella County Jail by an MPPD officer at approximately 2 a.m. Gibson was seen pacing in his cell and heard by others within the jail, proving his consciousness and lucidity.

He was found later by corrections officers in an unresponsive state, at which point EMS was called to the scene shortly after 3 a.m., Stolicker said in the press release. Attempts to revive Gibson were made, but were unsuccessful.

Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski and Mount Pleasant Police Capt. Thomas Forsberg declined to comment because of the ongoing investigation.

Mioduszewski previously told Central Michigan Life that officers in the jail did what they were trained to do by performing CPR.

“They did what was protocol,” Mioduszewski said. “It’s unfortunate it ended the way it did.”

According to the press release, it was not clear whether or not Gibson had any medical issues, but he had not suffered any apparent trauma.

An autopsy has been completed at Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids. The report for the autopsy is still pending and the cause of death remains unknown.