Man dies after police use Taser in Manchester

Jordan Begley was shot with a Taser outside his home in Manchester

A man has died after being shot by police with a Taser stun gun in Manchester.

Jordan Begley, 23, became ill when the weapon was fired at 20:15 BST in Gorton on Wednesday.

His employer Peter Sivori said Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers at the scene were "quite aggressive" and he believed the death was preventable.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has launched an investigation into the death.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, Mr Begley finished his shift at the Sivori ice cream factory in Levenshulme.

Joint owner Mr Sivori said he was driving his ice-cream van when he saw his employee outside the terraced house with police.

"He waved at me and tried to explain to the police that I was his employer, so a policeman came over and asked: 'Is that true?'" he said.

"The lad was pointing to me. He seemed to be in good condition then."

Mr Sivori said he was 30 or 40 yards away and could not get to Mr Begley. The police told Mr Sivori they had received a complaint and told him to move on.

'Tried to help'

"I thought they were quite aggressive. All I can say is that I think if I'd have been able to speak to him, I'd have calmed him down.

"I would have tried to help the lad."

Mr Sivori said he drove off before the incident escalated.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Mr Begley at the scene before he was taken to hospital, where he died.

Mr Begley had worked for the company for four years and was "very efficient, a good worker", according to his employer.

Asst Ch Con Garry Shewan said police had received a 999 call reporting a disturbance on Beard Road in Gorton involving a man with a knife.

"Officers were dispatched immediately and arrived in eight minutes.

"On arrival, a Taser was discharged to detain a 23-year-old man.

"At this time it is unclear what happened, but at some point afterwards the man suffered a medical episode."

'No need to Taser him'

Neighbour Kirstie Porter said: "I saw the lad being brought out... and put in the ambulance. Paramedics were working away on CPR with the doors open.

"There were police everywhere, loads of vans turned up. His mum and brother were sobbing in the street."

Another neighbour added: "There's a lot of bad boys around here - but Jordan was one of the good guys."

Police were called to Beard Road in Gorton after reports of a disturbance

A friend of Mr Begley said: "They turfed his mum outside and then went in and battered him. There was no need to use a Taser on him. I think he has some problem with his heart."

Chief Constable of GMP, Sir Peter Fahy and Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd have met with the dead man's family.

Sir Peter said he promised the relatives the force will co-operate fully with the IPCC investigation.

"It is important now to allow the IPCC time to conduct that investigation and not to speculate about what took place."

The IPCC commissioner for Greater Manchester, Mr James Dipple-Johnstone, assured the family it will carry out a "robust investigation" to determine if the Taser was used appropriately.

Figures from the Association of Chief Police Officers show 13,794 police officers are trained to use Tasers in England and Wales.

A spokesman said that on average, an officer will draw a Taser twice a year and discharge it every four years.

The BBC's Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said Mr Begley's death was the tenth to have occurred in England and Wales after police used a stun gun.

In eight cases the Taser had not caused death, and in the other two - the latest death in Manchester and that of a Plymouth man in April - investigations were ongoing.