Police watchdog launches probe after mentally ill man tasered in London
The police watchdog has launched an investigation after a mentally ill man who stabbed himself was tasered.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police were called to an attempted break-in at a home in Camberwell, south east London in the early hours of Tuesday where a man in his 50s was brandishing a knife.
They forced entry to the property because someone inside was felt to be at risk.
The man stabbed himself in the chest and is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police were called to a residential property on Harleyford Road, SE11 at 3:30am on Tuesday, 25 June following reports of an attempted break-in.
“On arrival, officers were met by a white man in his 50s armed with a knife.
“It is understood the man may have been suffering from poor mental health.
“It was also established that another person was inside the address at risk.
“Officers forced entry to the address and the man sustained a serious injury which is understood to have been self-inflicted.
“It is also understood a Taser was used by officers.
“The man was taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service where he remains in a stable but critical condition.”
Watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission said the Met had referred the case as is standard procedure in cases involving serious injury or death.
A spokesman said: “Following an assessment of the information available to us we have begun an independent investigation.
“Our investigators have already started to gather evidence, they have viewed body worn footage of the incident and will be taking accounts from the officers involved.”
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