Get the Echo newsletter - it has never been more important to stay informed Sign me up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A teenager detained by police at Liverpool One amid reports he was acting aggressively has died.

Police confirmed the 18-year-old was pronounced dead at hospital last night after becoming unwell while he was in the custody of police.

Officers were called to Liverpool One yesterday after receiving a number of calls from around the area.

There were unconfirmed reports he was carrying a knife and had tried to dive through the window of a chip kiosk between John Lewis and the Hilton Hotel.

Police said they could not confirm whether the man had a knife and Liverpool One security guards were already with him when their officers arrived.

Today police confirmed the man fell ill at around 6.30pm while in the custody of police at the scene.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

He was taken by ambulance to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors.

In a statement Merseyside police said: "The man had been detained by security staff and was in the custody of police officers following an incident at Liverpool One shopping centre when he became unwell at around 6.30pm.



"An ambulance was called and paramedics arrived and took the man to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors. "



Police added that the man had been identified as an 18-year-old from Liverpool. Police officers are in the process of informing his family of his death.



The force’s Professional Standards Department has notified the Independent Police Complaints Commission and this is now subject to an independent IPCC investigation.



"Anyone who witnessed anything which could help the investigation is asked to call the IPCC on 0800 096 9070 or email witness@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk

Police had said the man had been acting in an “aggressive and erratic” manner but the officers were concerned for the man’s own wellbeing.

Aaron Stalberg who was walking through Liverpool One at the time said he had heard that the man had tried to dive through the window of the Chips a Gogo kiosk. He said: “There were lots of police officers, some with dogs. The man was on the ground and police were standing around him.”

In a statement the Independent Police Complaints Commission said: "The IPCC has begun an independent investigation following the death of an 18-year-old man who had been in the custody of police at the Liverpool One shopping centre. Officers were called to an incident at the shopping centre at around 6.30pm yesterday evening.

"The man subsequently became unwell and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where he later died.



"IPCC investigators were deployed following notification of the incident and have been overseeing examination of the scene and the post incident procedure. Formal identification is yet to take place.



Anyone who witnessed anything which could help the investigation is asked to call the IPCC on 0800 096 9070 or email witness@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk"