Northern Virginia family sues City of Alexandria and police over man's in-custody death

Tonight, a Northern Virginia family has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Alexandria and two of its police officers after their son died in police custody. Fox 5's Sydney Persing just went through the lawsuit live tonight in Alexandria after speaking with that man's mother, Sidney. Well, Sandra Jones filed this lawsuit yesterday on what would have been her son's 34th birthday. You're about to hear from her and also see the body camera video leading up to his death. And I do want to warn you, it is disturbing. It's been more than a year since Allen Tucker II died in Alexandria police custody. Tonight, his mother says she's finally ready to break her silence after filing a federal lawsuit against the city and two officers involved. I thought they were going to help him, take him, get him some help, not leave him in a car to die. Tucker was arrested for public intoxication August 15, 2025. His mother's suit claims he was under the influence of drugs and hallucinated, that his own family was among those who called police, thinking officers would get him help. In obvious distress, body camera video captures Tucker asking for police officers to take him to the hospital. Tucker remained in the back of a cruiser for close to 45 minutes before officers discovered he'd become unresponsive. Hands up, off. Hands up, off. Heartbreaking to hear somebody begging for help and you just ignore it. Do you have faith that Tucker's cause of death was ruled cardiac arrest, caused by an overdose, according to the suit. His mother believes had her son been given medical care. The Commonwealth's attorney previously ruled Tucker's death was accidental. No charges were filed against the officers involved. The civil lawsuit, though, alleges as a result of their failures, Allen was deprived of timely and necessary medical care, suffered mentally and physically, and died. I cry every day. I cry every day. Making matters worse, she said, when she received a box of her son's property, including his clothes and fingernail clippings. APD accidentally included the handcuffs and seatbelt used on her son the day he died. I already knew that he died in a car. Then you're going to send me the seatbelts and handcuffs? It was traumatizing. He's just another case to them, but he's a loved one to us. The Alexandria City Council voted earlier this year to continue investigating his death. We reached out to both the city and police department for comment tonight. We have not yet heard back. Shireen, Kenneth. Go, Harper.