The man was taken to hospital, however he was pronounced dead an hour later
Image: Liverpool Echo)
A 59-year-old man has died after he was detained by police.
Shortly before 12.24pm on Monday, January 5, officers from Merseyside Police detained the man man on Southport Road in Bootle, Merseyside, the force said.
The man collapsed and became unconscious during the interaction. Merseyside Police said officers administered CPR and called for an ambulance. The man was taken to hospital, however he was pronounced dead an hour later.
The incident has now been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Merseyside Police said. The man's next of kin have also been informed.
A spokesperson for the force added it offers its condolences to the man's family. Officers and paramedics attended the scene on Southport Road, with an area heading southbound from Aintree Road to Breeze Hill cordoned off to traffic this afternoon as crews worked.
A police cordon was also set-up outside a house.
The Liverpool Echo reports that neighbours saw a man being given CPR on a driveway before being taken to hospital. Detectives were then seen going in and out of the house and armed police were also spotted in the area.
One resident said: “I didn’t see what happened but I saw the police get here and they took the man away in an ambulance. There were lots of police and about three ambulances here.”
Another said: “I think there were armed police and ambulances outside. I don’t know if he’s okay, they just took him away.”
A third said: “I walked in after going to Asda and then I just heard loads of sirens a few minutes later. I looked outside and saw them put someone in the back of the ambulance.
"It looked like they were still performing CPR on him. There were unmarked police cars and ambulances here. It was literally within minutes of me coming through the front door at about 12.30pm.”
Paramedic bags could be seen left on the driveway. Forensic officers arrived at the scene in the last few minutes and the road remains closed.