The Mayor of Baltimore Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Tuesday announced that the city has decided to pay the family of the late Freddie Gray a $6.4 million settlement.

The decision, which still requires the approval of a board, would prevent protracted civil lawsuits against the city. Mayor Rawlings-Blake announced that payment of the settlement was made "in the best interest of the city" and doesn't "constitute an admission of liability on the part of the city, the Baltimore Police Department, individual Baltimore Police officers."

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The exact terms of the settlement remains unclear.

The death of 25-year-old Gray in April in the hands of the police sparked widespread protests in the city and heightened tension between law enforcement officers and the public. Pundits are divided on whether the settlement by the city of Baltimore will appease the angry public or incite further protests.

Some have questioned how the settlement amount was reached and why the city has chosen to pay when no civil lawsuits have been filed against Baltimore over Gray's death.

No member of Gray's family or their legal representative has commented on the settlement thus far. The family is reportedly waiting for the Department of Justice to publish the results of their investigations before filing a lawsuit.

Gray died from spinal injuries days after falling into a coma while being transported in a police vehicle. Investigators say the arresting officers did not take safety precautions while putting him in the van and failed to come to his aid while he complained during the ride. Medical examiners have since concluded that Gray died from injuries he sustained in the police vehicle.

Six officers are facing criminal charges over Gray's death. The defense team is set to petition the judge on Thursday to allow the trial be moved out of the city over concerns that they wouldn't get a fair trial.

TagsFreddie Gray, Freddie Gray $6.4 Settlement, Freddie Gray Death