Anthony Baez was 5 feet 6 inches tall, 270 pounds, and asthmatic. Mr. Baez had allegedly resisted arrest and police claimed it took four officers to handcuff him and bring him to the ground. Baez was taken to the hospital by the police when a dispatched ambulance by Sgt. William Monahan, failed to arrive. The New York City Medical Examiner ruled that Anthony Baez' death was caused by asphyxiation due to "compression of his neck and chest", as well as acute asthma. Dr. Hirsch said that the classification of homicide indicated the death was caused "either entirely or partially" by "the actions of another person".