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Rashan Charles inquest: ‘He went from being arrested to clearly struggling and needing help’

Police officers tell of fatal pursuit of a young black Londoner. Witnesses recall Rashan “struggling to breathe” while under restraint. Inquest report from Days Four, Five and Six.

By Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi
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Witness 1 and police officer BX47 handcuff Rashan Charles on the floor of a Hackney convenience store, Saturday 22 July 2017
Witness 1 and police officer BX47 handcuff Rashan Charles on the floor of a Hackney convenience store, Saturday 22 July 2017

Witness 1 and police officer BX47 handcuff Rashan Charles on the floor of a Hackney convenience store, Saturday 22 July 2017

Witnesses have told a jury at St Pancras Coroner’s court about the final moments in the life of 20 year old black Londoner, Rashan Charles.

Police officers tried to explain what prompted their fatal pursuit of Rashan in the early hours of Saturday 22 July last year. Witnesses told how the young man was struggling to breathe and choking as a police officer and another man restrained him. A police lawyer asked repeatedly if what they saw and heard really were signs of choking, which he specified as “coughing” or “gasping for breath”.

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0