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Baltimore Police Reveal Van Carrying Freddie Gray Made Fourth, Previously Unknown Stop, But Don't Say Why

Prisoner who shared van with Gray claims in affidavit the 25-year-old was “banging against the walls” of vehicle.
Photo by Patrick Semansky/AP

Baltimore police have revealed officers made a previously unknown stop during the 30-minutes it took to transport Freddie Gray to a district police station on April 12.

Detectives said Thursday a fourth stop was picked up on a privately owned security camera near North Fremont Avenue and Mosher Street. The finding is included in the department's preliminary findings, which were handed to the state's attorney today, one day ahead of schedule.

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Gray sustained a severed spine and crushed voice box in police custody during his arrest on April 12. His death a week later has prompted rounds of protests that have spread across the country.

Since Gray's death on April 19, authorities have been releasing snippets of information to the public detailing events that occurred after an officer first made eye contact with the 25-year-old on April 12. Gray reportedly fled unprovoked, prompting officers to chase and arrest him on drug suspicion charges, police said. Cell phone video shot by witnesses show officers dragging Gray into the back of the vehicle; one of Gray's legs can be seen dangling lifelessly as they lift him up.

Related: Baltimore Police Officers Charged in Death of Freddie Gray

According to all official accounts before today, the van reportedly stopped three times during the 30-minute ride to a district police station. The first of those stops was made so that officers could cuff irons onto Gray's legs. During the second stop, Gray reportedly asked police for medical attention, which he did not receive. In the third stop, the prisoner — accused of violating a protective order — was introduced into the van, separated from Gray by a metal partition. The two men reportedly could not see each other.

But on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner Kevin Davis, who led the police investigation, told reporters a fourth stop was made after the second stop and before the time they picked up the second prisoner.

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Davis did not reveal any more details of the stop apart from the location.

The news comes a day after details of an affidavit by the prisoner who shared the back of the van with Gray was leaked.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that the unnamed 38-year-old detainee, who is still in prison, told investigators he heard Gray "banging against the walls" of the police wagon and said he was "was intentionally trying to injure himself." The statement was attached to a sealed police search warrant, but obtained from an unidentified party by thePoston condition the prisoner's name not be released.

The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) did not respond to VICE News' requests to comment Thursday.

The new information comes after days of roiling protests that have persisted since Gray's death on April 19. Demonstrations have broken out in sporadic bouts of violence and threats to "shut down" the city, but have calmed somewhat since the city imposed a 10PM to 5AM curfew Tuesday.

Related: Raw Coverage From the Streets of Baltimore

Last week, Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts revealed the arresting officers violated police protocol by failing to buckle Gray with a seat belt in the wagon.

It is not known how many of the six officers involved in the arrest were riding in the vehicle. All have since been placed on paid administrative leave pending the internal police investigation and separate Department of Justice probe.

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In a separate press conference Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she also wants answers on why "the policies and procedures for transport were not followed," and why none of the officers gave Gray medical assistance, despite his repeated pleas.

Even after the BPD hands over its preliminary findings, it may be many more months before a final resolution of the case and decisions on the future of the officers involved are made, the mayor said Wednesday.

"Whatever time the state's attorney's office needs to make that determination, the family wants to get it right," Rawlings-Blake said in attempting to dispel rumors some sort of "verdict" would be delivered Friday.

Other claims about the case, most unsubstantiated, have also surfaced, including one that Gray had a pre-existing spinal injury. The Baltimore Sun has since disproven that theory.

An unidentified relative of one of the officers involved has also come forward to allege Gray was injured by officers before he was placed in the van.

"Six officers didn't put him in the hospital," the female relative told CNN. "I'm worried that instead of them figuring out who did, that six officers are going to be punished behind something that maybe one or two or even three officers may have done to Freddie Gray."

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Follow Liz Fields on Twitter:@lianzifields