Boy dies in east London canal after being chased by police

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/30/hackney-east-london-boy-dies-canal-police-chase

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A 17-year-old boy has died in a canal after being chased by police in east London. The teenager, believed to be named Jack Susianta, smashed a window at his home and fled after officers were called to a house in Clapton, near Hackney, on Wednesday afternoon. The police were not attempting to arrest the boy, but attending a welfare call raised by his parents at the same address.

A boy matching his description was spotted on Hackney Marshes around an hour later, at 3.50pm, but ran away from officers, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan police. It said: “Officers tried to stop the male in order to assist him, but, prior to police officers reaching him, the male entered the canal near to Lea Bridge Road. A police officer entered the canal in an attempt to rescue him, but the male went under the water.

“A search of the canal and surrounding area was conducted by police officers with the assistance of dog units, the police helicopter, the marine policing unit and London Fire Brigade. London Ambulance Service also attended the scene.”

The body of a male, which has not been formally identified, was recovered from the water by officers from the Met’s marine unit at 5.20pm.

Police had also been involved in a search for Jack on Tuesday, when he went missing without wearing any shoes. Hackney police tweeted an appeal to the public, before finding him shortly afterwards: “Jack SUSIANTA aged 17, missing from E5. Last seen wearing blue converse T-shirt, green shorts and grey socks. Subject does not have any shoes on and is possibly on a bicycle.”

Jack is understood to have been a sixth-form student at Mossbourne academy in Hackney.

The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed of the incident and made a mandatory referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The cause of death is unknown and a postmortem examination is yet to be carried out.