Relative worried about disabled man before fatal police incident in Espoo

A relative voiced deep concern over the well-being of a disabled man prior to a fatal police encounter involving a stun gun at a residential unit in Espoo, Finland. The relative, who spoke to Helsingin Sanomat on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the case, had been worried about the man's unusual behavior, including rambling and frequent calls, noting that he was typically kind and content.

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I was worried about him, as he had been behaving atypically.

Police were called to the Rinnekoti residential unit on Thursday after staff reported aggressive behavior. Officers responded and de-escalated the situation. However, on Friday, staff again called emergency services due to the individual's aggressive conduct. Police stated that the violent behavior continued upon their arrival, leading to the use of a stun gun.

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In my opinion, he should have received treatment already then.

The man, approximately 50 years old, later died in the hospital. The head of the police crime unit, prosecutor Tapio Mäkinen, confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine if a preliminary investigation is warranted. The relative expressed disbelief that the situation escalated to the point of needing a stun gun, suggesting that the man should have received care earlier. They learned of the death from a doctor on Saturday, who described the man's injuries as severe, comparable to falling from a great height.

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The injuries sustained by the deceased were severe, comparable to a situation where a person has fallen from a great height or flown a long distance in the air.

The relative also stated they had contacted Rinnekoti hours before the police intervention on Friday, but no action was taken. Rinnekoti service manager Taru Åkerfelt clarified that unit staff were not present during the stun gun incident, which occurred outdoors. She noted that situations requiring police intervention are rare in these residential units.

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Purely police-requiring dangerous situations are very rare in residential units for people with disabilities.