An object removed from the throat of a black man who died after a police chase consisted of a mixture of paracetamol and caffeine wrapped in plastic, according to forensic analysis.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which launched an investigation following Rashan Charles’ death on July 22, said it was taking the decision to release information given the inflammatory nature of some ongoing speculation.
IPCC commissioner Cindy Butts said: At this stage we have not been provided with a confirmed cause of death for Rashan and our investigation is ongoing.
3 August: statement from Commissioner Cindy Butts, regarding the ongoing Rashan Charles investigation.
Last week, the IPCC said the evidence it had seen so far suggested Mr Charles was detained by a Metropolitan Police officer who had followed him on foot into a shop on Kingsland Road after an earlier attempted vehicle stop.
The officer restrained Mr Charles, with the help of a member of the public, and he was handcuffed.
After he was detained, attempts were made to remove an object from his mouth or throat. His condition deteriorated, and the officer called for a police medic who provided assistance prior to the arrival of paramedics, according to the IPCC.
In a statement, Ms Butts said: Yesterday, we received analysis of the contents of a package that paramedics removed from Rashan’s airway after he was detained and restrained by a police officer and a member of the public.
Makeshift road blocks were set alight in Kingsland Road in response to the death.
Following a very constructive meeting with Rashan’s family, we stated that the package did not contain controlled substances.
We did not provide further details, because the contents of the package are not directly relevant to our investigation we are looking into the circumstances of Rashan’s death, not investigating Rashan.
Rashan’s father Esa Charles had spoken at a protest held after his death.
However, given the inflammatory nature of some ongoing speculation, I will confirm that the package consisted of a mixture of paracetamol and caffeine wrapped in plastic.
She said no cause of death had been confirmed.