CNN
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Seven central Virginia sheriff’s deputies have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder after a man in their custody died shortly after they took him from county jail to a state mental health facility, authorities say.

The 28-year-old man died March 6, three days after officers encountered him while responding to a possible burglary, police said in a news release.

His family’s attorney identified the man as Ivor Otieno; police and prosecutors used the first name Irvo.

“The family is grief stricken after learning of the brutal nature of Ivor’s death and his inhumane treatment in the hours preceding his death,” Mark Krudys, the attorney for Otieno’s family, told CNN. “The public, and experienced mental-health professionals alike, will be deeply disturbed when the facts of this case are fully made known.”

The Henrico County deputies turned themselves in to state police Tuesday and are on administrative leave as investigations by their agency and state police continue, county Sheriff Alisa Gregory said in a statement.

“The events of March 6, at their core, represent a tragedy because Mr. Otieno’s life was lost,” the statement reads in part. “This loss is felt by not only those close to him but our entire community.”

The case comes as law enforcement use of force has been under scrutiny nationwide.

After officers encountered Otieno on March 3, they – with the county’s Crisis Intervention Team – put him under an emergency custody order due to their interactions with and observations of him, Henrico police said in a news release.

According to Virginia law, a person can be placed under an emergency custody order when there is reason to believe they could hurt themselves or others as a result of mental illness.

Otieno was taken for evaluation to a local hospital, where he became “physically assaultive towards officers,” police said. He was held on three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct in a hospital and vandalism, police said.

Otieno was then transferred to the Henrico County Jail West.

Then around 4 p.m. on March 6, Otieno was taken to be admitted to Central State Hospital, a state-run mental health facility south of Richmond, by the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office, according to a news release from the commonwealth’s attorney for Dinwiddie County, Ann Cabell Baskervill. It’s not clear why deputies transferred Otieno.

During the intake process, Otieno became “combative,” and was “physically restrained,” the attorney’s office said, citing what state police investigators were told.

Otieno died at the hospital “during the intake process,” according to the release.

Virginia State Police were called to investigate his death at 7:28 p.m., the release states.

The cause of Otieno’s death has not been released, Baskervill told CNN in an email. CNN has sought comment from the Richmond medical examiner’s office and Central State Hospital.

The seven deputies who were charged were identified in Baskervill’s release as Randy Joseph Boyer, 57, of Henrico; Dwayne Alan Bramble, 37, of Sandston; Jermaine Lavar Branch, 45, of Henrico; Bradley Thomas Disse, 43, of Henrico; Tabitha Renee Levere, 50, of Henrico; Brandon Edwards Rodgers, 48, of Henrico; and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders, 30, of North Chesterfield.

Dinwiddie County Court records show that the deputies were scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning for an appointed counsel hearing. All seven are slotted to appear before a grand jury on March 21, court records show.

CNN has sought comment from the deputies.