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Freddie Gray Baltimore Protests

Source: (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Following week-long protests in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, Baltimore police admitted there were mistakes made in the 25-year-old’s arrest, Think Progress reports.

Gray died of a severed spinal cord April 19, a week after police chased him on foot, arrested him, and placed him in the back of a police van. In a Friday press conference, Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts said the young man should’ve received medical treatment after the arrest.

It’s still unclear how Gray sustained the severe injuries. Video of Gray’s arrest shows him screaming in pain as officers place him under arrest. Several witnesses said police “folded his body like origami,” Think Progress writes.

“[Batts] also said Gray was unbuckled in the transport wagon, which could mean officers took him for a “rough ride,” when police deliberately drive erratically to injure unbuckled and handcuffed passengers.

“We know he was not buckled in the transportation wagon as he should have been. No excuses for that, period,” Batts said. “We know our police employees failed to get him medical attention in a timely manner multiple times.”

The site also points out that an investigation headed by the Baltimore Sun uncovered a system of abuses in the police department.

The report described frequent, sometimes fatal beatings by officers who almost always went unpunished. Meanwhile, the city of Baltimore paid out $5.7 million from 2011 to 2014 to settle lawsuits over police misconduct.

The commissioner insists an investigation into Gray’s death is underway. The six officers involved in his arrest have been suspended pending the investigation.

Over the weekend, at least 12 people were arrested during protests and clashes with the police. On Monday, hundreds attended Gray’s funeral.

You can view the funeral service here.

SOURCE: Think Progress | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty | VIDEO SOURCE: NDN

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Thousands Gather In Baltimore To Demand Justice For Freddie Gray

Civil Rights Group To Probe Death Of Freddie Gray, Protests Continue In Baltimore