Tasmanian authorities have launched an investigation into a man’s death in police custody in Hobart on Saturday.
Police arrested the 29-year-old man from Glenorchy at about 1:55am, after several reports he was acting “in a suspicious and erratic” manner in the Moonah area.
The man was taken into custody and transported to the Hobart reception prison.
“Medical assistance was requested about 2:30am, when he was found to be unresponsive,” a police statement said. “Sadly, he died a short time later.”
The assistant commissioner, Adrian Bodnar, said officers tried to revive the man before medics arrived.
“His senior next of kin were notified this morning by our investigators. It’s very tragic and it’s very sad,” Bodnar said.
Bodnar said the man had been arrested for a “simple offence under the Police Offences Act”.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner, who will investigate the circumstances of the man’s death. A professional standards investigation is under way and the integrity commission has also been notified, police said.
