ATLANTA — A person died while in custody earlier this week at the Fulton County Jail, the Fulton Sheriff's Office said. There were no identifying details about the individual made available by authorities, nor was any information about how they died provided.
The person died at the jail on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
A source with the Atlanta Police Department said when the jail initially asked them to investigate an in-custody death, they said it was a possible suicide. But a source then said APD learned the detainee's ankles and wrists were bound when the body was found. APD is investigating it as a possible homicide.
Police have reportedly interviewed the detainee's cellmate about what happened.
The status of the individual's incarceration was not fully clear. The sheriff's office described them as a detainee.
The Fulton County Sheriff's Office released a statement which said: "The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has asked the Atlanta Police Department to conduct an investigation into an in-custody death that was discovered at the Fulton County Jail on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. No additional information will be available until next of kin notification can be made and the preliminary investigation is complete."
An Atlanta Police spokesman confirmed the department is assisting in the investigation, but had no other details to provide Friday morning. APD said Fulton County "remains the lead" in the investigation.
This death comes as county leaders try to find ways to relieve overcrowding at the jail. Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat has said hundreds of men are sleeping on the floor. The county and City of Atlanta have been discussing a possible four-year lease agreement to move some detainees to the Atlanta City Detention Center, but that's not been finalized yet.