Updated at 4:31 p.m. ET
La'Ron Singletary is resigning as police chief in Rochester, N.Y., as protests continue over the March death of a Black man, Daniel Prude, by asphyxiation after being restrained by police. Much of the encounter was caught on video.
Other senior police leaders are joining Singletary in leaving the department, Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren said.
"The entire Rochester Police Department command staff has announced their retirement," Warren told members of the City Council during a video conference Tuesday afternoon.
"That includes the police chief" and deputy chiefs, she added.
"The chief was not asked to give his resignation, because I do believe he is giving his very best," said Warren, who promoted Singletary to the post in April 2019.
But the mayor added that there was "information that was brought to light today that I had not seen before" related to the chief. She did not go into detail about that information, but she said it has left Singletary feeling that his "career and his integrity [have] been challenged."
Warren acknowledged that with the exodus of senior leaders from the department, "it's going to be difficult" to find an interim chief.
Warren ordered the suspension of seven police officers who were involved in Prude's arrest last week after video footage of the encounter was released.
As NPR reported last week:
"Warren said she was told that Prude had overdosed in police custody, and did not see video of the encounter until Aug. 4.
"She said she has since ordered Singletary to provide her with video from any in-custody death or use of force incident within 24 hours."
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