This is the moment and off-duty police officer placed a man in a chokehold until he died.
The shocking footage was recorded in Torrejon de Ardoz in Madrid at around 11.30pm on Tuesday.
The police officer, who was out with his friend, a retired cop, had chased the alleged thief down and tackled him to the ground, before mounting him and wrapping his arm around his neck.
They claimed the victim had stolen the off-duty policeman’s phone.
Passersby can be seen in the clip telling him to release the individual, who he holds in a chokehold for well over a minute and until the Policia Nacional arrived.
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Arriving officers quickly realised the victim was non-responsive and attempted to perform CPR, but were unable to save him.
The policeman who held him down was arrested and held but was provisionally released today.
He has had his passport taken off him and must present himself at the court every Monday.
He has been formally charged with negligent homicide, according to sources from the Madrid Superior Court of Justice (TSJM).
At the moment, the first autopsy report is awaited to determine the exact cause of the victim’s death.
The investigation will be taken over by the city’s fourth investigating court, which was on duty at the time of the events and removed the body.
