Prude had been suffering from a mental health episode after ingesting PCP and left his brother's house in a disturbed and naked state.

On February 23, 2021, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that the empaneled grand jury declined to charge the seven officers involved in Prude's death.

[2] The same day, the US Attorney's office for the Western District of New York announced they will review the AG report and other evidence, and rule whether a federal response is warranted.

[8] While in transport to Strong Memorial Hospital, his heartbeat resumed, but he remained incapacitated from lack of oxygen and was later declared brain dead.

[6] The medical examiner's autopsy report ruled Prude's death a homicide as a result of "complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint".

"[17] During a later press conference, Rochester's chief of police claimed that the delay in releasing video evidence "was not a cover-up" and that he understood the frustration towards Prude's death.

[17] The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle likened the circumstances to that of George Floyd's murder, which happened two months after Prude's death, and led to national protests.

[6] The December 10, 2020, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine contained an essay in its Points of View section by David A. Paul, M.D., entitled "The Death of Daniel Prude – Reflections of a Black Neurosurgeon".

[19] On September 2, 2020, in response to the video footage release and subsequent press conference,[20] protesters demonstrated outside the City Public Safety Building (PSB), the department headquarters.

[citation needed] Separately, in New York City, a car plowed through a crowd of protesters in Times Square who were also demonstrating against police brutality.

[22] On September 4, 2020, protests began peacefully but ended with authorities dispersing crowds with tear gas and pepper balls following incidents of vandalism and violence, according to officials.

Protesters started at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Downtown Rochester and arrived to a blockade set up across the Court Street Bridge by police, one block from the Safety Building.

[23] On September 5, 2020, the fourth night of protests over the death of Prude was the largest yet, and again ended with pepper balls, tear gas and fireworks.

Protesters marched from Jefferson Ave to City Hall, and next to Exchange Blvd at Broad Street, to a police roadblock outside of the Blue Cross Arena, north of the Safety Building.

Six minutes after arriving, after some threw water bottles, police began dispensing crowds with tear gas, pepper spray, flash bangs and an LRAD.

Several dozen stayed until about 1:30 am the next day, pushed 1⁄2 mile (800 m) north of the roadblock to outside of Kodak Tower, before officers in squad cars finally dispersed the remaining people.

The police presence that night was noticeably subdued, with fewer visible officers outside of the building, and a relaxed perimeter more similar to that as on September 3.

The march also used "elders", namely older, respected community members to stand between the police and protesters, to both prevent and reduce the odds of a clash that night.

The demonstration came hours after Mayor Lovely Warren and the city's police chief La'Ron Singletary called for calm following tense protests the previous day.

Demonstrators started at Martin Luther King Jr. park and again marched to Rochester City Hall, followed by the Public Safety Building.

Some threw bottles at police and started removing the first layer of barricades, after which an unlawful assembly was declared and dozens of officers moved in position to disperse crowds.

[29] Protesters also painted "Black Lives Matter" on Jefferson Ave, "Murderers" on Exchange Boulevard in front of the Safety Building, and "Resign" on Church Street facing City Hall.