Handcuffed man dies of heart attack in police car

A man who tried to evade arrest on Sunday died after suffering a heart attack, with police saying he stopped running after he got tired while the family is seeking more answers and accusing officers of ignoring his medical condition.

Police officers in Nicosia went to the residence of a 65-year-old local man on Sunday afternoon, armed with an arrest warrant issued by a judge after his wife filed a complaint concerning a domestic violence offense.

Upon seeing the police, the suspect started to run away and officers went after him. He was subsequently handcuffed and placed in a patrol vehicle where he lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.

Police on Monday were not available for comment on the incident but it was reported that it took place in front of many eye witnesses.

Based on unverified reports, the suspect was taken to the Emergency Room at Nicosia General Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. A medical report said the suspect died of a heart attack affected by coronary artery disease.

Additional reports said the suspect’s family have accused the arresting police officers of ignoring the man’s medical problems. According to daily Politis, members of the family maintain that the officers were made aware of the suspect’s medical condition but ignored the information when they pursued him.

Police told Knews on Tuesday that the man stopped running after getting tired, with officers making the arrest and driving him to the ER.

But a private forensic pathologist has been hired by the family to ascertain whether the man was struck by officers or whether any violence exerted on the fleeing suspect may have triggered a cardiac arrest and subsequent death.

Another family member was quoted as saying that officers were the ones who drove the suspect to the Emergency Room and dropped him off without staying with their detainee.

An officer in charge of communications declined to identify the area where the incidnet took place.