Nationwide — Kingsley Fifi Bimpong, an African American man from Eagan, Minnesota, died after police and jail officers mistook his stroke for drug impairment. A federal lawsuit claims he was left untreated for hours despite showing clear signs of a medical emergency.
On November 16, 2024, Bimpong left his shift at the Eagan Postal Distribution Center after telling coworkers he had a headache. Later that night, police spotted his car driving the wrong way on Pilot Knob Road and hitting a median. When stopped, he appeared disoriented and confused, unable to recall where he lived or worked, even while wearing his USPS vest.
According to , officers noted there was no smell of alcohol but called in Officer Martin Jensen, a certified Drug Recognition Evaluator, to determine if Bimpong was impaired. Body camera footage later showed Jensen dismissing the need for a full evaluation, saying it would be “a whole bunch of time wasted.” When another officer suggested taking Bimpong to the hospital, Jensen replied, “For what?”
Bimpong was arrested on suspicion of DWI and taken to the Dakota County Jail after a blood draw. Video footage reportedly showed him stumbling, collapsing, and lying motionless in his cell, unable to control his bladder. Despite this, guards repeatedly logged “inmate and cell OK.”
For more than three hours, officers walked past his cell as he lay on the floor. A nurse was finally called when a guard noticed him foaming at the mouth and shaking. Assuming a drug overdose, the nurse administered Narcan three times, but it had no effect. When paramedics arrived, his blood pressure was a dangerous 240/216. He was rushed to a hospital, but was already in critical condition.
Doctors found that Bimpong had suffered a massive brain hemorrhage caused by a stroke. Tests confirmed there were no drugs in his system. He was declared brain dead on November 19, 2024, three days after the incident.
The lawsuit names the City of Eagan, Dakota County, and several officers, accusing them of ignoring clear stroke symptoms and failing to follow proper procedures. Investigations later revealed that some jail staff lacked up-to-date CPR and first-aid training, and wellness checks were not properly done.
Bimpong had worked for the U.S. Postal Service since 2016 and had no criminal record. He leaves behind a daughter and relatives in Ghana.
