A Madrid police officer arrested for strangling a suspected thief to death
The officer held him by the neck after he tried to steal his cell phone.
BarcelonaThe National Police have arrested a Madrid Municipal Police officer for accidentally killing a man who had allegedly tried to steal his cell phone. The officer was off duty and strangled the alleged thief, a 35-year-old man, while holding him until the arrival of patrols. The incident occurred this Tuesday in the Madrid municipality of Torrejón de Ardoz. According to Efe, the officer will be brought before a judge this Thursday.
At around 11:30 p.m. this Tuesday, the alleged thief stole the officer's phone, while the officer was with another police officer, in this case a retired officer from the same force. The thief fled but was intercepted by the officer, who held him on the ground using the mattress maneuver. This maneuver involves restraining him by the neck, which the officer applied until the arrival of uniformed officers.
Upon handcuffing the alleged thief, the uniformed National Police officers observed that he was practically unconscious and in cardiac arrest and notified the Summa 112 emergency services, who confirmed his death by strangulation despite resuscitation efforts.
