Two police officers have been placed under criminal investigation after the death of former Premier League footballer Dalian Atkinson, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has confirmed.
The pair have been served with gross misconduct notices after the 48-year-old died in a tasering incident.
An eyewitness claimed Atkinson, who won the Premier League’s first ever goal of the season competition in 1993, was kicked and tasered ‘for a minute or two’ before his death.
And the IPCC has issued a statement explaining that a post mortem carried out on Wednesday found that the cause of death was ‘inconclusive’.
The public body notes that a criminal investigation ‘does not mean that criminal charges will necessarily follow’.
Aston Villa paid tribute to their former player during the Championship match against Huddersfield Town (Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Due to the nature of the investigation, only a limited amount of information can be shared with the public while proceedings are ongoing, and IPCC Commissioner Derrick Campbell warned against media speculation,
“Having carefully considered the evidence gathered so far, we are undertaking a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Atkinson’s death and the level and type of force used,” Campbell confirmed.
“Two police officers will be interviewed under criminal caution by IPCC investigators,” he added, while noting that the family of the ex-footballer will be kept updated as the investigation continues.
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