Man, 45, dies after being restrained by cops rushing to ‘stop child being assaulted’ inside house
A MAN who resisted arrest after police rushed to “stop a child being assaulted” inside a house has died.
Officers had been called to High Street in South Norwood, London, at 1.27am on Sunday following reports a child was being assaulted.
After gaining entry into the property, police found the 45-year-old man suffering from a medical emergency.
Police say he was very agitated and was actively resisting against officers.
The 45-year-old was later restrained and paramedics were called.
However, once paramedics arrived and he was transported into an ambulance, the man became seriously unwell.
Although he was rushed to hospital, he later died despite the best efforts of medical professionals.
T/Commander Andy Brittain, who is overseeing the response to this incident, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died.
“We will ensure they are fully supported.
“I know the community in South Norwood will want to be reassured that the incident was handled appropriately.”
They continued: “The IOPC is conducting an investigation to provide that independent scrutiny.
“We must also acknowledge the impact that incidents like this have on the officers involved.
“In this case they were responding to an emergency call involving a child in danger and on arrival at the scene, were met with a very challenging situation.
“No officer ever wants to be involved in an incident where someone loses their life and we will ensure they get all the support they need.”
Metropolitan Police confirmed that a referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and that the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards was aware of the case.
In a statement, the Met said: “A referral in these circumstances is not an indication that officers are believed to have done anything wrong.
“It is a mandatory step when anyone dies or suffers serious injury following contact with the police or while in their custody.”