When a police officer arrived at an International District apartment building to investigate a burglary report Nov. 7, he found 55-year-old Todd Grendahl with a cut to the side of his head, claiming he'd been hit in the head with a baseball bat.

He repeatedly declined medical aid, even as medics were summoned against his wishes and offered to take him to the hospital.

Five days later, Grendahl was dead.

Now 42-year-old Tejuan Thomas, is accused of second-degree murder in connection with his death.

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Thomas, who operated All Star Tattoos and Piercings out of a basement unit at 308 Fourth Avenue South, approached the officer at the scene about 10:34 p.m. while he was investigating an unrelated burglary claim, according to reports. Thomas told the officer he was going to the snack machine when he found a man - later identified as Grendahl - trying to break into the machine and shaking it. He claimed he told Grendahl to get away and leave the building and Grendahl tripped and fell on his head.

The officer couldn't find any damage to the snack machine, court documents say. Grendahl then approached the officer, blood streaming down his face, and pointed at Thomas, saying, "This guy hit me in the head for no reason!"

The men then got into an argument and the officer called for backup.

Grendahl, who carried loose change in his hand, told the officer he was only trying to buy some sodas for him and his brother when he was attacked from behind. Police called for medics and determined his vitals were normal, according to the incident report.

Thomas denied owning a baseball bat and allowed officers to search his tattoo studio. Inside, police found a tree branch "that had multiple, pointy, broken off, small branch nubs" protruding from it, court documents say. It appeared to be similar in shape and size to a baseball bat, police wrote.

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Prosecutors wrote in the charging documents that the weapon Thomas allegedly used was a handgun.

The officer who first responded to the assault was summoned to the scene again hours later, where Seattle Fire Department medics were treating Grendahl after his brother and friends called 911 to report he needed medical help. Medics reported he was unable to recall the date, the state he was in or who the president was. He reportedly acted aggressively toward police officers, which his brother said was out of character. Medics took him to Virginia Mason Hospital.

Grendahl's friends later explained to police that after he was hit on the head, he began to act uncharacteristically agitated and started to doze off. He exhibited increasing signs of confusion, so his friends called 911.

Later that day, police learned from medical staff that Grendahl had suffered a brain bleed and lost all brain activity. His doctor reported he would not likely regain consciousness and that if he did, he would remain in a vegetative state.

Meanwhile, Thomas contended that he was drawn to the vending machine that night by loud noises and found Grendahl jostling the machine, reports say. He then claimed Grendahl suffered a seizure and fell to the ground.

Staff at Virginia Mason told police that Grendahl died the afternoon of Nov. 12.

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Investigators recovered a surveillance camera attached to Thomas's storage space at the apartment building that was pointed at the vending machine. A computer forensics detective recovered footage of a man matching Thomas' description striking Grendahl on the right side of his head from behind as Grendahl walked down the hallway, away from the vending machine, according to police reports. Grendahl is then seen falling to the floor and Thomas appears to yell at and berate Grendahl while he lay on the floor.

Police arrested Thomas Nov. 21. He allegedly maintained that Grendahl fell to the ground, even as detectives showed him the surveillance video footage. He then only changed his story to say that he did not remember what happened and was on some prescription medication that may have affected his memory, according to police reports.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office determined that the blow Grendahl suffered likely caused his terminal brain injury and ruled his death a homicide.

Thomas remains jailed on $2 million bail.

SeattlePI reporter Lynsi Burton can be reached at lynsiburton@seattlepi.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LynsiBurton_PI. Find more from Lynsi here.