A man who died after he was pepper sprayed, Tasered and held down by six police officers had escaped from a Sydney hospital where he was being held under mental health laws.
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The man, 30, lost consciousness and later died after he was restrained and handcuffed by police in Newtown on Sunday.
Police are investigating the death, which Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton described as "unfortunately not the outcome anyone looks towards".
The man had been arrested in a "violent confrontation" earlier in the day after being found "disorientated" and wandering through traffic in nearby Glebe at about 10.30am.
He was arrested, physically restrained to an ambulance stretcher and chemically sedated before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where he was held under the Mental Health Act.
A few hours later he escaped from the hospital and was found nearby by police in Camperdown. Mr Walton said he was again "non-compliant and aggressive".
The assistant commissioner said three officers originally attempted to arrest the man, who weighed 120 kilograms, with another three called to the scene during the struggle.
"In the circumstances, the police have apparently determined it was appropriate to use those instruments to attempt to detain him," Mr Walton told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
"Shortly after the man lost consciousness and stopped breathing."
Police performed CPR on the man who was taken back to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where he died.
One witness, who did not want to be named, said she saw a man detained by officers as she drove past about 1.20pm.
“I saw it erupt. One minute it seemed like they were talking and then [the police] were in defence mode.
“Out of nowhere there were three police and they Tasered this man, and he fell to the ground.”
She said the man was “lying flat” on the ground with a police officer either side and one on top of him. One of the officers elbowed the man in the shoulder, she said.
“They were holding him with force.”
She saw numerous police cars racing towards the area moments later and said the road was blocked when she drove past again after 3pm.
“The whole road was closed off and there were police everywhere.”
The investigation will be independently reviewed and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
A NSW Health spokeswoman said the man had been "calm and co-operative" most of the time he was in the emergency department.
However, she said, he later grew agitated and tried to leave.
"Despite verbal de-escalation attempts by security, nursing and medical staff, they were unable to prevent him from leaving the hospital," the spokeswoman said.
"No staff were injured in the process."
Emergency department staff are experienced in managing patients who present in a distressed
state and measures are taken to ensure patient and staff safety, as they were in this case.
She said police had been called immediately after the man fled.
"The patient was returned to RPA’s emergency department by NSW Ambulance after suffering a
cardiac arrest and, sadly, he was unable to be revived."
The spokeswoman said NSW Health would investigate the incident.
"NSW Health extends sincere condelences to the man’s family," she said.
with AAP
