Shropshire Star

Dalian Atkinson: Timeline of events since ex-footballer's death

Former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson was 48 when he was fatally Tasered by police three years ago in the street where he grew up in Telford.

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Dalian Atkinson

Here is a timeline of events after the incident, which happened in the early hours in a small cul-de-sac near his elderly father's home.

August 15, 2016 - The former Aston Villa striker is hit by the stun gun in Meadow Close, Trench. He goes into cardiac arrest and dies around 90 minutes later despite receiving CPR for around 30 minutes.

West Mercia Police say officers attended amid concern "for the safety of an individual", and refer the incident to the then-watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission, now the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

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Relatives say Mr Atkinson was "not in his right mind" and was suffering from health issues including kidney problems and a weak heart when he was hit.

Ex-colleagues unite to mourn the death of the "terrific" player, including manager Ron Atkinson and former teams including Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday.

Campaigners raise concerns about Taser safety and call for restrictions on the use of the devices. Ex-soldier Spencer Beynon had died after being Tasered by police two months before the incident involving Mr Atkinson.

August 16, 2016 - The Police Federation of England and Wales defends the use of Tasers, saying officers have to deal with situations "that arise in the blink of an eye" with no time to research someone's medical history.

August 17, 2016 - A petition calling on Government to urgently review police use of Tasers gathers more than 50,000 signatures as activists call for a "rigorous and transparent" review into Mr Atkinson's death.

August 18, 2016 - The IPCC says two West Mercia officers are under criminal investigation and have been served gross misconduct notices.

August 24, 2016 - An inquest opening hears that doctors battled in vain for 35 minutes to save Mr Atkinson.

September 2, 2016 - A PA news agency survey finds a "complete lack of consistency" among police forces in the deployment of body cameras to officers armed with Tasers.

September 17, 2016 - Telford residents take part in the peaceful 'Justice for Dalian Atkinson March' past the town's Malinsgate Police station, demanding answers over his death and bringing traffic to a standstill.

November 19, 2016 - Former stars from the football world join hundreds of mourners as emotional tributes are paid at Mr Atkinson's funeral in Telford.

August 2017 - The police watchdog reveals three West Mercia officers have been interviewed under criminal caution and served with gross misconduct notices.

It says it looked into the level and type of force used in the incident and is considering evidence from 15 other police officers and more than 15 members of the public.

October 2018 - The IOPC passes its file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service after concluding its investigation.

November 2019 - A West Mercia officer is charged with murder and another with assault occasioning actual bodily harm over the death of Mr Atkinson.

The actions of the third officer are not referred to the CPS.

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