The police watchdog has launched an investigation after a man died following his arrest by the Metropolitan police.
Edir Frederico da Costa died on Wednesday, six days after he was detained. The 25-year-old was arrested in Beckton in east London. A statement from the Independent Police Complaints Commission said: “During this interaction it is believed police officers used force and deployed CS spray.”
The IPCC’s associate commissioner, Tom Milsom, said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of this young man and all those affected. We are committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation and I would urge anyone with information to support our efforts.”
The watchdog said Da Costa was in a car with two other people and was approached by police on Woodcocks, just off Tollgate Road, at about 10pm on 15 June. Following his arrest, Da Costa became unwell. He was given first aid and an ambulance was called to take him to hospital.
After a postmortem examination on Thursday, a pathologist concluded there were no injuries to suggest severe force was used. Further investigations will be undertaken by the pathologist to establish the cause of death, the IPCC said.
Its investigators went to the scene and took initial accounts from the officers involved on the night of the incident. They are seeking to question local people who may have witnessed it.
On the night of his arrest, a Scotland Yard spokesman said it was “believed that the man swallowed a large quantity of drugs” and that, “as is routine, the Directorate of Professional Standards and Independent Police Complaints Commission [were] informed”.
