The King County medical examiner's office has found that a man in Federal Way police custody at a local hospital died as a result of a heart attack and prolonged restraint in prone position."
The medical examiner concluded 27-year-old Leon Alex Davis' death was a homicide, according to a report released on Friday. "Alcohol withdrawal syndrome" contributed to the death.
Federal Way police responded to St. Francis Hospital about 11:30 a.m. on March 14 after security personnel there reported a "disorderly subject," identified as Davis. While en route, the officers received additional information that a security guard had been injured and that Davis was being held down, according to a news release from the Valley Independent Investigative Team.
When they arrived, officers placed Davis in restraints and detained him.
"After the restraints were applied, the subject experienced a medical emergency," according to the news release. "Medical treatment was immediately administered; however, the subject did not survive.
© 2026 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
