Body camera and surveillance footage tied to the death of former NFL running back Doug Martin has now been released by the Oakland Police Department, offering the first visual record of the moments leading up to the athlete’s fatal encounter with officers in October 2025.
The newly released recordings show Martin entering the yard of a home in the Oakland Hills before breaking a window to gain entry into the residence. Police had responded to reports of a break-in around 4:15 a.m. on October 18. In the footage provided to NBC Bay Area, officers pursue Martin through the property before a struggle occurs as they attempt to detain him inside the home.
Video and audio captured during the incident show Martin yelling while officers attempt to control the situation. At one point, an officer can be heard telling him, “Hey, we’re going to help you.”
As the encounter continues, officers repeatedly instruct him to relax while attempting to place him in handcuffs. “Calm down, man, relax for me,” one officer says during the struggle.
Shortly after he is restrained, the footage shows Martin becoming quiet and unresponsive. Officers then call for medical assistance. Paramedics responded to the scene and attempted to treat him before transporting him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Martin was 36 years old.
The release of the recordings comes months after the Oakland Police Department initially declined to make the footage public. At the time, officials said releasing the materials could interfere with active investigations and cited privacy concerns as part of their decision to withhold the records.
Martin’s family has said the former running back had been experiencing a mental health crisis that night. According to a statement from his agent, Brian Murphy, relatives contacted authorities for assistance before the situation escalated.
“Doug’s parents were actively seeking medical assistance for him and contacted local authorities for support,” Murphy said in the statement.
He added that Martin had become disoriented and left the home before entering a neighbor’s residence where officers eventually took him into custody.
Investigations into the incident remain ongoing. The Oakland Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, the department’s Homicide Unit, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and the city’s Community Police Review Agency have all been reviewing the circumstances surrounding Martin’s death.
Civil rights attorney John Burris, who is representing Martin’s family, said the footage alone does not resolve the questions investigators are still examining.
“It doesn’t give enough perspective on whether there was misconduct on the part of the officers,” Burris said, noting that the family is awaiting additional reports and medical findings.
Martin’s official cause of death has not yet been confirmed. His family has sent his brain to the Boston University CTE Center for testing as part of the broader effort to determine what led to his death.
A first-round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, Martin played six seasons in Tampa Bay and later spent a season with the Oakland Raiders, finishing his NFL career with more than 5,300 rushing yards and two Pro Bowl selections.