Suffolk Police: Lindenhurst Man Dies in Police Custody; Homicide Detectives Are Investigating

A Lindenhurst man held overnight at the First Precinct for arraignment today on criminal contempt charges died this morning, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

Daniel McDonnell, 40, of Lindenhurst, was being held overnight in a First Precinct cell when he began acting irrationally at approximately 7:20 a.m., police said.

West Babylon Rescue was called while officers attempted to subdue McDonnell, who was being combative and would not comply, according to police. A Taser was deployed, said First Precinct officials, but it failed to stop McDonnell. A second Taser was deployed, officials said, and then officers were able to handcuff McDonnell.

According to the SCPD, McDonnell went into respiratory distress and rescue transported him to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where he was pronounced dead.

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating McDonnell’s death, police said.

The SCPD said McDonnell had been arrested on May 5 for criminal contempt in the second degree in connection with a neighbor dispute.