HAVERHILL, MASS. (WHDH) - Seven police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into the death a man who died after being subdued and restrained by police outside a local seafood restaurant.
Francis Gigliotti died Friday following an encounter with several Haverhill police officers, the district attorney’s office confirmed.
Seven police officers involved have since been placed on administrative paid leave.
Gigliotti’s fiancé Michelle Rooney said he is the man screaming with police officers on top of him in cell phone videos now circulating on social media.
“He should be here with us,” Rooney said. “He should be here with us right now.”
According to the district attorney, Haverhill police started receiving reports of a man acting erratic on White Street around 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Investigators said one caller first saw the 43-year-old fall leaving a building, then watched him hit a car with his head before running in and out of traffic.
Officers responded, attempting to subdue him at a Bradford Seafood; the district attorney’s office said this was for safety purposes and the safety of the surrounding public.
Gigliotti then became unresponsive.
Dimitri Argyriadis owns the restaurant where it all happened. Hel plans to leave flowers, candles, and balloons outside the door as the community grieves.
“Regardless of what happens, people have feelings and that’s what feelings do right there,” said Argyriadis.
Argyriadis says his workers saw Gigliotti on the street and became concerned about his behavior.
“He was going bananas, cars were there,” said Argyriadis.
Argyriadis says he then tried to come into his business.
“One of my hosts held the door, not to get in,” said Argyriadis.
Despite EMS jumping in with life-saving efforts, Gigliotti was pronounced dead at the hospital.
His loved ones said Gigliotti had his struggles in the past, but that this action was completely out of character.
“We just seen the video circulating online and honestly I couldn’t watch the whole video, it honestly broke my heart when I first saw it,” said Kiara Rosa, who visited the memorial site.
“The family deserves all the answers they can get,” said Lexie Perez, who visited the memorial site. “The family deserves all the sympathy, the respect, the condolences. They deserve all of that.”
Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett released a statement, saying in part, “At this time the Haverhill Police do not currently have body worn cameras. However, establishing this program within the Haverhill Police Department has been a goal of mine and Chief Pistone’s. The Superior Officers have agreed to this in recent contract negotiations, and we are actively seeking the same agreement with our patrol officers in their contract.”
The DA’s office is requesting videos and photos from the public of the incident to help assist in the investigation. Anyone with video evidence can submit it at this link.
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