Joe Malinconico

Paterson Press

UPDATE:Police say before Paterson man died, he called 911 saying he took Ecstasy

PATERSON — Family members and authorities are looking for answers in the mysterious death of a 27-year-old city man who recorded a frantic video at Paterson police headquarters early Saturday morning during which he said people — including police officers — were trying to kill him.

The man, Jameek Lowery, the father of three children between the ages of 8 years and 11 months, posted the video through Facebook Live at about 4 a.m. on Saturday, his siblings said.

The video shows Lowery near the front desk at police headquarters sweating profusely, pleading for help, asking for water and repeatedly saying that someone was trying to kill him.

“I’m just paranoid,” Lowery said on the video. “I’m just paranoid. That’s it.”

Hours later, Lowery was placed on life support at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, and he died on Monday morning, his siblings said.

Law enforcement sources said there is no evidence that any Paterson police officer assaulted the man during the incident.

But his brother, Jamir King, said Lowery suffered a broken cheekbone and fractured eye socket sometime after the recordings were filmed.

“His face wasn’t like that in the video,” King said.

King also asserted that it took two hours from the time Lowery recorded the video until he arrived at the hospital.

“What happened during that time?” King said.

INVESTIGATION:Prosecutors investigating death of Paterson man who took video of frantic visit to police

JAMEEK LOWERY:What we know and don't know about the death of Jameek Lowery

RALLY:Protesters say Paterson police officers used mace at rally for Jameek Lowery

Paterson Police Chief Troy Oswald and Police Director Jerry Speziale referred questions about the incident to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. As of late Monday afternoon, Prosecutor Camelia Valdez had not yet released any information. Mayor Andre Sayegh declined to comment on the situation.

Mason Maher, president of the union that represents superior officers in the Paterson Police Department, said he saw the video recorded by Lowery.

“From everything I’ve seen so far, the officers acted professionally and got him the help that he was in need of by calling for the ambulance,” Maher said.

Officials said the officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave while the matter is being investigated. The video does not show any physical contact between Lowery and officers. Officials said they have not yet gotten the final results of toxicology tests taken on Lowery.

But Lowery’s family members said medical staff at the hospital told them they checked for eight different narcotics — all of which they said came back negative.

In addition to King, Paterson Press interviewed Lowery’s two younger sisters — Jalea King and Jamiliha Lowery — as well as Niquasia Salmond, the mother of the deceased man’s two sons.

Lowery’s siblings said they first learned something was wrong at about 9 a.m. on Saturday when they saw the video he posed on social media. Salmond said family members first called police headquarters, but were told he was not there. After that, the family members said, they located him at the hospital.

The siblings said they are awaiting the results of an autopsy.

During the video, which family members provided to Paterson Press, Lowery asserted that the officers standing around him thought he was cooperating with the FBI — an apparent reference to the ongoing federal probe that has resulted in the convictions of three Paterson cops and arrests of two others.

“Y’all think I told on y’all,” Lowery said to the officers during the video.

Lowery also talked of his own demise.

“If I’m dead in an hour or two, they did it,” he said of the officers.

Toward the end of the four-minute video, Paterson firefighters serving as emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene and told Lowery they would take him to the hospital. In response, Lowery said he was already beaten up by security staff at the hospital.

At one point during the video, Lowery said there was something “over by the wall” at headquarters.

“I see him, I see him,” he said. “Yo, they trying to kill me.”

The video shows one of the officers shining a flashlight toward the wall. “Ain’t nobody there,” the officer said.

“He right there. Walk over there,” Lowery said.

The officer took a step toward the wall and shined the flashlight again.

“Nobody there,” the cop said again.

Later in the video, Lowery made numerous requests for water, saying he was dehydrated and having difficulty talking. Someone told him he could get water at the hospital.

Law enforcement sources said the police officers could not give Lowery water at headquarters because they did not know if he had ingested anything that would cause problems if mixed with water.

CRIME:Man on stolen NYPD scooter captured after Paterson chase, police say

NEWS:Jury selection to begin in trial of former NYPD officer accused of killing ex with machete

Email: editor@patersonpress.com