No misconduct from Met officers in Chelsea Bridge death, watchdog finds

Two Metropolitan Police officers have been cleared of misconduct by the police watchdog after a man died shortly after being tasered and jumping from Chelsea Bridge.

Oladeji Omishore, 41, died after a confrontation with the officers on June 4 2022, who had been called when he was seen shouting and holding up a lighter on the west London bridge.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published its findings of an investigation into Mr Omishore’s death on Monday after his inquest had ended.

A jury at Inner West London Coroner’s Court concluded that Mr Omishore was suffering a mental health relapse, the watchdog said.

His cause of death was ruled as due to complications from drowning, with the jury not concluding that the actions of the officers probably caused his death.

The IOPC said: “We found no indication that either officer may have behaved in a manner that would justify disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence relating to their actions at the scene.”

Police body-worn video from the day of the incident showed Mr Omishore was tasered three times by one of the officers for a total of eight- and-a-half seconds, for refusing to comply with three separate requests, the IOPC said.

Tasers were discharged twice more as Mr Omishore ran towards the bridge barrier and jumped over the bridge railings, but neither had impact. He then jumped over the railing and fell into the River Thames.

Mr Omishore died in hospital later that evening after being rescued from the water.

Both officers told the IOPC during its investigation that they believed the incident may have been a terrorist attack because it happened during the Queen’s Jubilee weekend, which the watchdog found to be “not unreasonable”.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “Officers are allowed to use force when they honestly believe it is necessary to defend themselves or others.

“This was a fast-paced and distressing incident for the officers and we found the evidence suggested that the officers honestly and reasonably believed Mr Omishore was in possession of a weapon.

“Police have a duty to protect the public from harm and the officers saw several members of the public fleeing the area as they arrived.

“Mr Omishore’s behaviour was unpredictable and we found that the evidence did not indicate that the decision of one of the officers to Taser him, in order to detain him, was unnecessary or disproportionate in the circumstances.”

There was no evidence Mr Omishore was discriminated against because of his race or mental health as the officers’ assessment of the risk posed to the public and themselves appeared to be based on non-discriminatory reasons, the watchdog said.

The officers were also separately investigated for failing to co-operate as witnesses, in interviews held on November 23 and 25 2022.

While the officers “had a case to answer” for their behaviour during the interviews, it was not serious enough to justify disciplinary proceedings, the IOPC said.

Mr Omishore’s family threatened legal action against the IOPC after their initial decision not to hold a criminal or misconduct investigation into his death.