Man who fell from Chelsea Bridge into the River Thames after being tasered by a Met Police officer is in a ‘critical condition’ as force refers itself to police watchdog for investigation
- A man fell from a bridge into the Thames after the Met Police discharged a Taser
- Police were called to Chelsea Bridge Road to reports of a man with a screwdriver
- A taser was fired before the man could be safely detained and he fell in the water
- He is now in a critical condition and Met has referred itself to police watchdog
A man who ended up in London’s River Thames after apparently being Tasered by a Met Police officer has been described as being in a ‘critical condition’.
The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to investigate the circumstances leading up to the use of the taser this morning.
Police were called to the scene in Chelsea Bridge Road, west London, at 9.03am today after receiving reports that a man was armed with a screwdriver and shouting.
The Met said officers arrived at the scene and challenged a man on Chelsea Bridge before the Taser was discharged.
However, the force said this ‘did not enable the officers to safely detain him’ and the man, thought to be in his 40s, ‘subsequently entered the river’.
After he fell from the bridge, a rescue operation was launched and he was rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Police were called to the scene in Chelsea Bridge Road, west London, at 9.03am today after receiving reports that a man was armed with a screwdriver and shouting
The Met said officers arrived at the scene and challenged a man on Chelsea Bridge before the Taser was discharged. However, this ‘did not enable the officers to safely detain him’
The man has been taken to hospital where his condition is described as critical.
Detectives are in the process of contacting the man’s family, the Met added. They will be supported by specialist officers.
The Met’s own professional standards department will investigation in addition to the IOPC prob.
Detective Chief Inspector Rory Wilkinson said: ‘My thoughts are with this man, who is extremely unwell in hospital. Officers are making every effort to make contact with his family.
‘I understand that there are always concerns about incidents in which people come to harm having been in contact with police.
‘All Met officers know that they are accountable for their actions, and a full investigation is under way to establish exactly what happened.’
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