A 52-year-old man pepper sprayed throughout his arrest in Sydney’s west died after being taken to the hospital.
Police have been referred to as to the tackle in Homebush at about 8.30am on Monday in response to experiences of an alleged home violence incident.
During the arrest contained in the unit, officers deployed pepper spray, in response to a press release from police. A crucial investigation has been launched.
Not lengthy afterwards, the person skilled what police described as a “medical episode”.
The New South Wales ambulance paramedics handled him on the scene earlier than transporting him to Westmead Hospital in a crucial situation, the place he later died. The time of loss of life was recorded to be 8.30pm on Monday.
A criminal offense scene has been established, and the conduct of the police is underneath investigation.
“The investigation will remain to be subject of an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission,” police mentioned in a press release.
“A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.”
NSW Police coverage permits oleoresin capsicum (or OC) spray – OC is the energetic ingredient in pepper sprays – to be deployed to safeguard individuals or animals, or as a “less than lethal option for controlling people, where violent resistance or confrontation occurs (or is likely to occur)”.
According to a report by the US Department of Justice, publicity to OC spray can set off intense ache, coughing, short-term lack of imaginative and prescient and respiratory misery. The report additionally discovered that people with bronchial asthma or different lung situations, in addition to youngsters, face a heightened threat of loss of life.
In 2022, NSW Police opened a crucial incident probe after a 41-year-old man died following his arrest, throughout which officers used OC spray. The man had been strolling alongside the M5 motorway and later collapsed, shedding consciousness shortly after being taken into custody. He was transported to a hospital however couldn’t be resuscitated.
The deployment of OC spray by police has additionally drawn consideration in current protests. Allegations have included its use on a 13-year-old at a Palestine rally in 2024, in addition to on anti-war demonstrators on the Indo-Pacific Naval Defence Expo in November.
Last month, local weather protesters in Australia received a landmark class motion in opposition to Victoria police over using OC spray at a 2019 anti-mining protest in Melbourne.
The Supreme Court discovered police unlawfully assaulted protester Jordan Brown by spraying him twice, inflicting bodily and psychological hurt, and awarded him Australian $54,000 in damages.
While police argued the spray was lawfully used to handle a tense crowd, the choose dominated it was unjustified on this case. The determination was the primary of its sort in opposition to Victoria police over OC spray, although the choose mentioned it didn’t set a normal precedent.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/nsw-sydney-west-australia-police-pepper-spray-b2895095.html