Met Police: Two PCs investigated over Taser balcony death

The man fell from a block of flats in Rye Hill Park in Peckham

Two police officers are under criminal investigation over the death of a man who was shot with a Taser and fell from a balcony in south-east London.

Officers were called to a flat in Rye Hill Park, Peckham, to reports of a man threatening to jump on 12 April.

The police watchdog said one officer discharged the Taser before the man, who is yet to be identified, fell five floors to the ground.

Both PCs are being investigated for gross negligence manslaughter.

One of the officers is also being investigated for unlawful act manslaughter.

The pair have also been served with gross misconduct notices for potentially breaching police standards of professional behaviour, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

"It does not necessarily mean that criminal charges or disciplinary proceedings will follow," the IOPC explained.

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The IOPC said police were called to the flat on 11 April after a report of a man shouting from the balcony, but received no response from inside the property.

The force received another call hours later but did not attend, the IOPC said.

Officers returned to the flat and forced entry at about 02:00 BST on 12 April after receiving a report of a man making threats to jump from a balcony.

The IOPC said they tried to persuade the man to come inside and requested a police negotiator. In the next hour, all but two officers left the scene.

Body-worn video footage

The watchdog said that at about 03:30 an officer discharged their Taser and the man fell from the balcony railing. He died in hospital the following day.

The man fell just before the negotiator entered the flat.

Body-worn video footage is being reviewed and Taser downloads will be analysed, the IOPC said.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said the investigation was in its early stages and would examine whether any force that was used was "reasonable, appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances".

"Our thoughts are with the man who died and we sincerely hope that he is formally identified and that his family are able to be notified," Ms Rowe continued.

"Following the conclusion of our investigation, we will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and we will determine whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings," she added.

A date for the inquest has not yet been set.

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