Detectives investigating the death of an autistic teenager shortly after he came into contact with police are seeking witnesses of events leading up to the moment officers pinned him down and handcuffed him in Liverpool.
Lancashire constabulary have released a gallery of CCTV stills showing the faces of people they believe may be able to describe the circumstances leading up to Mzee Mohammed’s encounter with 18 police officers, eight security guards, a police dog and an ambulance crew.
The 18-year-old was pronounced dead an hour and a half after officers were filmed cuffing him face down on the ground in the Liverpool One shopping centre on 13 July.
Police said at the time that they were responding to unconfirmed reports of a black male acting in an “aggressive and erratic manner” with a knife. Footage of the incident shows him apparently unconscious.
A postmortem examination was inconclusive and further tests are said to be required to establish a cause of death. An inquest has been opened and adjourned by the Liverpool coroner while detectives investigate Mohammed’s movements before his death.
Police said the review would look into the circumstances under which Mohammed left his home in the city; his movements between leaving the address and arrival at the Chips a GoGo kiosk at the shopping centre; and the activity at the kiosk before the arrival of police officers.
Detectives will not consider the actions of police officers, including whether they are responsible for killing Mohammed. This aspect of the investigation is being led by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
DCI Gary Brooks, of the force’s major investigation team, said: “We know of course that Mr [Mohammed’s] family must be distraught by what has happened and we recognise the tension this incident has caused within the wider community.
“What we are trying to do is find out what happened to Mzee on the afternoon of 13 July and we need the community’s help to be able to do that so that we can try to provide his family with the answers they desperately seek.
“I would appeal directly to those people pictured in the CCTV to come forward as they may be able to help us piece together what happened to Mzee. I would also ask anyone who recognises them to contact us.”
Protests were held in Liverpool following Mohammed’s death, at which his mother, Karla, disputed the police version of events.
Anyone who witnessed anything that could help the investigation, or who knows any of the people in the images, is asked to contact Lancashire police on 101, quoting log number LC-20161111-0339. They can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Alternatively, call the IPCC on 0800 096 9071. The specific email address for the inquiry is liverpoolone@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk.
