BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled Samuel Brown's manner of death a homicide, a spokesperson told WMAR-2 News on Tuesday.
A cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Brown, 56, died on February 27 following an encounter with a Baltimore County Police officer.
The encounter occurred on February 16 near Security Boulevard and Whitehead Court at approximately 3:30 a.m.
Bodycam footage revealed officer Derek Hadel, a nine-year veteran of the force, conducting a welfare check on Brown.
During the interaction, the situation escalated and Hadel struck Brown, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground.
Brown was transported to a local hospital, where he remained on life support until his death.
Following his death, Brown's family and friends have demanded the officer be fired and criminally charged, asserting that the officer had other options and that the bodycam footage does not tell the full story.
MORE: Family, friends protest in front of police HQ after Samuel Brown fatal encounter
"Can we please stop the narrative that Samuel Brown got pulled over for drunk driving, and just got out the car and attacked the police? That is not a fact, that is an opinion that you're trying to make to further their narrative, to get officer Derek Hadel off of fired and prosecuted, that we want," DJ Quicksilva said during remarks at a demonstration held in Brown's honor.
The Attorney General's Office will investigate and will ultimately decide whether Hadel faces criminal charges. The Baltimore County Police Department said it is cooperating with the investigation.
