On June 2, 2020, at approximately 5:33 pm, officers from the Yakima Police Department (YPD) were called to assist an American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance at 100 East Yakima Avenue on a patient who was combative and a “danger to herself”. The patient had been observed running in and out of traffic repeatedly.
Several YPD officers arrived to assist within minutes. Officers placed the female into protective custody due to an apparent mental or medical crisis. The patient, Tiffany Eubanks (33), from Oak Harbor Washington, was transported via a marked police unit to Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital where she suffered a serious medical event. Early this morning, at approximately
3:26 am, Eubanks passed away at the hospital.
Due of the seriousness of the medical crisis, which began in the back of the patrol car while waiting to be admitted into the hospital, YPD Chief Matt Murray immediately requested that the Yakima Valley Special Investigations Unit (SVIU) respond to conduct an independent investigation. The SVIU promptly responded to YPD and assumed the investigation on June 2, 2020 at 7:00 PM.
Chief Murray also requested that the YPD Professional Standards Office initiate an internal investigation to determine whether the officers’ actions were in accordance with YPD policies.
Chief Murray said, “Incidents like this one are incredibly tragic and rare, and thus concerning. I have many questions, but can assure the community that the independent SVIU investigation will be transparent and available to the public and that I will share the results of any internal investigation as well.”
According to the SVIU protocol, all media inquiries should be directed to the Commander of the SVIU, Captain Dave Johnson of the Toppenish Police Department (509-314-8165).