Rochester police chief, top leaders resign after Daniel Prude's death sparks a week of protests

Rochester, New York's police chief and the two other top leaders resigned Tuesday amid protests against the police killing of Daniel Prude.

Prude, a Black man, was killed in March, but largely nonviolent protests only broke out last week after body camera footage of the incident went public. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren suspended the seven officers involved in Prude's death, and she promised reforms to the police department on Sunday. Warren had planned to make an additional update on the case on Tuesday, but the press conference was postponed as Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary, Deputy Chief Joe Morabito, and Deputy Chief Mark Simmons all resigned.

Singletary, who is Black, called the "events over the past week" an "attempt to destroy my character and integrity" in his resignation letter, seemingly referencing suggestions he helped "cover-up" Prude's death. He also condemned the "mischaracterization and the politicization of the actions" he took after Prude's death, saying the narrative was "not based on facts."

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Prude died of asphyxiation after Rochester police put a spit bag over his head and held his face to the ground for two minutes; his death was ruled a homicide. Police, responding to a call from Prude's brother, found him running naked in the street in an apparent mental health emergency. New York Attorney General Letitia James promised a grand jury investigation into Prude's death over the weekend.