Dalian Atkinson dead: Two police officers under criminal investigation over Taser death of ex-footballer

The 48-year-old died 90 minutes after he was hit by police with the stun gun

Dalian Atkinson of England 'B' in action during a match against Ireland in Ireland in 1990 (Getty Images)

Two West Mercia officers are under criminal investigation over the death of ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson after he was Tasered by police.

The 48-year-old died 90 minutes after he was hit by the stun gun outside his parent's house in the Trench area of Telford, Shropshire, in the early hours of Monday morning.

According to relatives Mr Atkinson was suffering from a number of health issues and had a weak heart when he was hit by the weapon at around 1.30am.

The retired sportsman went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance on his way to hospital and medics were unable to save him.

The death is now under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which released a statement on Thursday saying: “Two West Mercia Police officers have been advised they are under criminal investigation and are also being served with gross misconduct notices.”

The IPCC said a criminal investigation does not necessarily mean criminal charges will follow, adding: “The IPCC investigation is at an early stage, and the position will be kept under review as the investigation progresses."

Mr Atkinson’s family welcomed the announcement and called for a “robust” investigation.

In a statement released through charity Inquest, they said: "We are still in shock as to the circumstances in which Dalian died. We are determined to get justice for him, which means getting to the truth.

"We welcome the IPCC's decision that this will be a criminal investigation and emphasise their request that there should be no speculation in the media as to what happened to Dalian, as this could prejudice the criminal investigation and any potential prosecution.

"We ask that anyone with information about what happened to Dalian in the early hours of Monday August 15 2016 contacts the IPCC.

"We are looking to the IPCC to carry out a thorough and robust investigation that will ultimately provide transparency and accountability. Dalian's memory requires nothing less."

Mr Atkinson's brother Kenroy, 53, previously said the ex-Premier League star had undergone dialysis for kidney failure and was "in a manic state and depressed" at the time of the incident.

He said his brother had attacked their 85-year-old father Ernest at his home before police were called to the scene.

Police said they were called the property in response to an alert "for the safety of an individual" at a home in Meadow Close.

It was revealed on Monday that none of the officers who attended the incident were wearing body worn video cameras.

A post mortem was held on Wednesday and the cause of death was inconclusive. Further tests are due to be carried out.

The incident has prompted calls for Prime Minister Theresa May to lead an “urgent and fundamental” review of how police use a weapon that can deliver a 50,000-volt shock and was fired 1,921 times in England and Wales last year.

IPCC Commissioner Derrick Campbell said: “Having carefully considered the evidence gathered so far, we are undertaking a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Atkinson’s death, and the level and type of force used. Two police officers will be interviewed under criminal caution by IPCC investigators.

“As this is a criminal investigation, the IPCC is limited in the amount of information which can be released into the public domain. I would ask people to be patient during the progress of our investigation, and not to add to speculation about the circumstances of Mr Atkinson’s death. Speculation across the media as a whole can risk prejudice to the investigation process.

“We will keep Mr Atkinson’s family updated, and our thoughts remain with all of those affected by his death.”