Freddie Gray's death ruled homicide, police officers charged

Freddie Gray's death has been ruled a homicide and criminal charges will be filed against officers involved in his arrest, Baltimore prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said.

In a statement, Mosby said an investigation found that officers bound 25-year-old Gray's wrists and ankles and left him stomach down on the floor of a police van as they drove around Baltimore. Despite repeated requests for medical attention, Gray was refused it, and officers continued to drive without securing him the van, she told reporters on Friday (1 May).

On at least five occasions officers checked on Gray and failed to secure him, contrary to police regulations, and by the time the van reached Baltimore's Western District police station, he was not breathing and was in cardiac arrest, she said.

Six officers are each facing multiple charges, including manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.

They are Lieutenant Brian Rice, Sergeant.Alicia White, Officer William Porter, Officer Garrett Miller, Officer Edward Nero and Officer Caesar Goodson.

Goodson, who drove the van, has been charged with second degree murder.

Warrants have been issued for the arrests of all officers.

Mosby added that that the knife Gray was carrying on 12 April was not illegal, and it was only discovered after his arrest.

As Mosby made the announcement, protesters cheered loudly.

Mosby called for calm from the public, after Gray's death on 19 April sparked rioting earlier in the week.

"I heard your call for 'no justice, no peace,'" she said. "Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man."

Ahead of Mosby's announcement, there were reports of hundreds of extra law enforcement officers on the streets of Penn/North, the scene of most of the rioting.