Man dies after stun gun, sedation used in disturbance complaint

Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace is leading an inquiry into the death of a man who had just been subdued with a stun gun and a sedative by law enforcement personnel.

In a statement released this morning, the police said that yesterday evening at around 7pm officers were dispatched to deal with a report of a man on a roof in Zabbar, who was throwing objects at passers-by.

The 48 year-old man had descended from the roof after the police asked him to do so. 

Later that evening the man was reported as being aggressive towards a doctor from the Paola Health Centre who had gone to the man’s home at the request of his family. The man had proceeded to lock himself in a room on the roof and refused to come out. Police said the man was likely to have been armed.

After several hours, the police succeeded in convincing the man to leave the room, but he again became aggressive towards the doctor, before running upstairs and trying to jump out of a window.

Officers from the police Rapid Intervention Unit used a stun gun on the man to stop him from jumping out of the window. The doctor had then administered an injection intended to sedate the man. He lost consciousness and was given medical assistance by a waiting ambulance crew.

At around 11pm, he was taken to hospital by ambulance, escorted by the police. 

Shortly after that the police were informed that the man had died. It is understood that the man, who was known to the police, had a substance abuse problem and was under the effect of drugs at the time of his death. An autopsy will be carried out to establish the cause of death.

Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace is conducting an inquiry into the incident and has appointed several experts to assist her. The police are also investigating the death.

The Ministry for Home Affairs National Security and Law Enforcement declined to comment about the news at this stage, pointing to the fact that the incident was subject to a magisterial inquiry.