A man in his 20s has died after falling into River Thames while being arrested by police. Officers on a ordinary patrol in Kingston-upon-Thames, southwest London, have been flagged down by a member of the general public and alerted to a verbal altercation regarding a man and a woman who were known to each other. An allegation of robbery was made however, as officers attempted to the arrest the person, he “entered” the river close to a bridge. Metropolitan Police stated the person had not been placed in handcuffs at the time – approximately 10.30pm yesterday. A multi-agency response to locate the person was launched, concerning the Met’s Marine Policing Unit, National Police Air Service, London Fire Brigade and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The guy was recovered from the water at around 12.30am saturday and dealt with by paramedics, however regardless of their efforts, he was stated dead. The guy’s family had been informed. Police cordons remain in location and enquiries are ongoing. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards have made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The complete Met Police statement reads: “At around 22:30hrs on Friday, 26 August, police on ordinary patrol have been flagged down on Kingston Bridge to a verbal altercation concerning a man and a girl who were known to each other.

“An allegation of robbery was made. Officers were in the process of arresting the person, believed to be aged in his 20s, when he entered the water. He had not been placed in handcuffs. “The man was recovered from the water at around 00:30hrs and treated by paramedics. Despite their efforts, he was stated dead. The guy’s family had been informed.

“Police cordons remains in place and enquiries are ongoing. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards have made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. “Kingston Bridge takes traffic over the river and into the metropolis center in the east, and vehicles west past Hampton Court Palace and towards Surrey.

Releasing a assertion through the charity Inquest, the family expressed worries about how police dealt with the 41-year-old at a time while he became “clearly suffering from a mental health crisis and he became vulnerable and frightened”.

Man was suffering from Mental disorder

In the family’s assertion, the family stated: “We welcome the long overdue correction that all Oladeji had in his possession at the time was a lighter. “Deji became honestly stricken by a mental health crisis and he became vulnerable and frightened. “We have set out our concerns to the IOPC about how the officials communicated with him, their repeated use of force on him, and its impact.” It comes after a person died after being Tasered by police and falling into River Thames close to Chelsea, southwest London, in June. An independent inquiry has additionally commenced after that man, who was in his 40s, died in hospital.