Photo by Brandon Anderson.

The death of a 74-year-old patient at Medstar Washington Hospital Center has been ruled a homicide. According to Beverly Fields at the office of D.C.’s Chief Medical Examiner, the cause of James McBride’s death is “blunt force injuries of neck, with cervical spinal cord transection and vertebral artery compression.”

WUSA9 first reported the homicide ruling.

In late September, McBride was injured after struggling with security guards outside of the hospital on Irving Street NW.

A Metropolitan Police Department report said he and the guards were outside of the hospital when McBride “became non-compliant and resisted and a struggle ensued.” Then McBride “was taken to the ground” by two officers and a third “utilized hand controls to restrain” him. He died two days later from sustained injuries.

McBride’s family released a statement through the hospital describing him as “a loving husband to his wife of 40 years, and a wonderful father to his son and daughter.”

After being placed on leave, the guards are no longer employed at the hospital.

Washington MedStar employs special police officers who are licensed through D.C. Police, but receive training separate from MPD officers. These officers are qualified to carry firearms and make arrests.

In December, Mayor Muriel Bowser referenced McBride during a press conference regarding the release of MPD body-camera footage in the death of Alonzo Smith. Both men died as a result of injuries sustained by special police officers.

Bowser said that MPD initiated an investigation into the procedures for licensing such officers following McBride’s incident. The results of the probe are expected this month, she said.