A man was forcefully restrained by a group of eight police officers at his residence, leading to him being thrown to the ground and handcuffed. The individual, a resident of Edinburgh, has filed a complaint against Police Scotland, alleging that he sustained bruises during a ‘mental health check’ incident while taking out his trash last week.
Identified as Gabriels Ochnolichs, he encountered two officers outside his apartment in Muirhouse after his social worker expressed concerns about his well-being, prompting the police visit. However, the situation escalated, with the 21-year-old accusing the officers of using aggressive behavior.
Video footage captured by his mother shows an officer grabbing Gabriels by the neck, causing him to be forcefully restrained and handcuffed by multiple officers. Following the incident on January 8 at 4:20 pm, Gabriels lodged a formal complaint with Police Scotland regarding the treatment he received.
Speaking to EdinburghLive about the ordeal, Gabriels explained that he was detained under mental health powers due to a misunderstanding arising from his unresponsive phone, causing concern for his social worker. He further detailed how the officers restrained him, including applying force to his neck, which made it difficult for him to breathe, leading to distress and a struggle.
Despite his family witnessing the events, Gabriels claimed that the officers did not clearly communicate the purpose of their visit as a welfare check. He expressed concerns about the excessive use of force by the police, emphasizing the need to highlight such instances.
After being escorted to a police van by the officers, the restraints were removed from Gabriels. He challenged the police on their use of force during the welfare check, stating that the incident has tarnished his reputation within his community.
In response, a Police Scotland spokesperson stated that they had received a complaint regarding the incident, which is currently being assessed by the department’s Professional Standards team.