A man has died in London following an incident on Chelsea Bridge yesterday morning, police have confirmed.
Posting via the Met Police website, the Met said: “The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have launched an independent investigation after police were called at 09:03hrs on Saturday, 4 June, to a report of a disturbance in Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1.
“It was reported that a man was armed with a screwdriver and shouting at the location.
“Officers attended the location a short time later, and they challenged a man on Chelsea Bridge.”
Footage of the incident has been widely shared on social media.
Police added, “A Taser was discharged but this did not enable the officers to safely detain him. The man, who is believed to be aged in his early 40s, subsequently entered the river. A rescue operation was immediately organised.”
“The man was rescued from the water by the RNLI and taken to hospital, where he died that evening.”
Police have confirmed that the man’s family have been informed.
Commander Alexis Boon, Frontline Policing, said: “My thoughts are with the family of the man at this very difficult time. I offer my sincere condolences to them for their tragic loss.
“Officers go to work every day to keep the public safe, and so any incident in which a person comes to harm following contact with police is understandably concerning.
“Our officers face some of the most challenging and difficult situations daily, in doing so they are fully aware that their actions should rightly be subject to public scrutiny.
“The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards made an immediate referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following this sad incident, and we will co-operate fully with them as they work to understand the full circumstances.”
Source: Met Police
