A cloud of confusion has settled over the death of Mike Jones, of Mount Vernon, after the mayor and police gave different accounts of the current investigation. 

The 35-year-old man died Tuesday after either falling or being pushed to the ground on Eastchester Avenue. The details around his death are still murky.

Mayor Richard Thomas is accused of creating confusion around the investigation after he notified the media on Thursday that Jones' case was a hate crime probe and that police were seeking the help of the FBI and the state Hate Crimes Unit.

Officials in the police department later said that it's not clear what led to Jones' death and they don't know if he was a victim of a bias crime.

"I don't know why we don't wait until we get all the facts before we start making these statements," says City Councilman Andre Wallace. "I don't know if it's a hate crime. We don't know if it's a crime at all…We have enough negative attention on Mount Vernon."

Officials at The Loft, an LGBT Community Services Center, defended the mayor, saying with hate crimes on the rise, it's important for investigators to cast the net wide.

Police say they are continuing to look at the case from every angle. They say they will know more when the autopsy results come in. They are expected to be available next week.