Man in his 20s dies after falling into River Thames while being arrested by Metropolitan police officers who had been called to a row between a man and a woman

• Met police officers in Kingston, London were alerted to an altercation last night 
• Police were in the process of arresting a man, 20s, when he entered the water
• Body recovered this morning at around 12.30am but man was pronounced dead
• Enquiries are ongoing and cordons remain in place in area near Kingston Bridge 

A man in his 20s has died after falling into the River Thames while being arrested by police.

The Met Police said officers were on routine patrol in Kingston-upon-Thames last night when they were alerted to an altercation between a man and a woman.

An allegation of theft was made and officers were in the process of arresting the man when he entered the water.

His body was recovered this morning at around 12.30am but despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead. 

The man’s family has been informed and enquiries are ongoing.

Police cordons remain in place around the area near Kingston Bridge.

The man in his 20s died after falling into the River Thames near Kingston Bridge late last night while he was being arrested by Met Police officers (stock image)

The full Met Police statement reads: ‘At around 22:30hrs on Friday, 26 August, police on routine patrol were flagged down on Kingston Bridge to a verbal altercation involving a man and a woman who were known to each other.

‘An allegation of theft was made. Officers were in the process of arresting the man, believed to be aged in his 20s, when he entered the water. He had not been placed in handcuffs.

‘A multi-agency response to locate the man was launched, involving the Met’s Marine Policing Unit, National Police Air Service, London Fire Brigade and the RNLI.

‘The man was recovered from the water at around 00:30hrs and treated by paramedics. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead. The man’s family have been informed.

‘Police cordons remains in place and enquiries are ongoing. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards have made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.’

It comes after a 41-year-old man died in hospital earlier this year after jumping from a bridge into the River Thames when he was Tasered three times by police officers.

Oladeji Adeyemi Omishore, 41, from Pimlico was involved in a confrontation with Met Police officers on Chelsea Bridge on June 4. 

A shocking video showed the man, who appears to be holding an object in his right hand, shouting at two police officers. 

One of the officers fires a Taser and the man falls to the floor, but proceeds to try and get up, at which point he is shocked a second time. 

He continues to try and get up and is shocked a third time, while officers shout at him to stay on the floor. 

The man then leaps over one of the barriers towards the edge of the bridge, pursued by a police officer, before vaulting over the railings and into the River Thames below.

After falling from the bridge a rescue operation was launched and he was taken out of the water by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). 

 He died in hospital the following day. The Met have referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) who have now launched an investigation.

Mr Omishore’s family said it is ‘incomprehensible’ that the officers involved were not being investigated for any professional misconduct or criminal charges, arguing that the Taser use ‘amounted to excessive use of force’.

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