The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the policing watchdog after a man died following a call-out to an address on South Norwood High Street in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Scotland Yard said that officers were called to reports of a child being assaulted. They entered a property around 1.27am on Sunday and “found a 45-year-old man having a medical emergency”.
The Met said the man was “very agitated and actively resisting against officers”.
According to a statement issued by the police: “He was restrained and paramedics were called. When paramedics arrived, the man was transported to an ambulance where he became seriously unwell. He was taken to hospital where, despite the best efforts of medical professionals, he later died.”
The Met has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, something it is required to do when a person dies or suffers serious injury after contact with the police or while in custody. “A referral in these circumstances is not an indication that officers are believed to have done anything wrong,” the Met said. “It is a mandatory step.”
Mandatory step: Commander Andy Brittain
Andy Brittain, Croydon’s Borough Commander who is overseeing the response to the 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. 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.”
In an unrelated case, the Met has concluded it has “no case to answer” after a complaint about contact its officers had in south London in February last year with Nasen Saadi, the criminology student from Purley who went on to murder a woman on Bournemouth beach.
Saadi, 21, fatally stabbed Amie Gray and seriously injured Leanne Miles in a “senseless” and “random” attack on May 24 2024. In June, the Met received a complaint relating to an allegation made in February 2024 by someone who believed Saadi had been stalking them.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct directed the Met to carry out its own investigation into how the complaint was handled.
The complainant has been notified of the conclusion of the Met’s investigation and has the right to ask the watchdog to review the decision.
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