A man was forcefully brought down and detained by police officers on his doorstep, as he alleges being restrained by eight officers in Edinburgh. The resident has filed a complaint against Police Scotland, claiming he sustained bruises during a ‘mental health check’ incident last week while disposing of his garbage.
Gabriels Ochnolichs encountered two officers at his residence in Muirhouse after his social worker raised concerns about his well-being. However, the situation escalated, with the 21-year-old accusing the officers of aggressive behavior. Video footage captured by his mother shows an officer grabbing Gabriels by the neck, leading to him being thrown to the ground and handcuffed.
Subsequent footage depicts around eight officers surrounding and subduing Gabriels, who is seen on the ground with leg restraints. He has since lodged a complaint with Police Scotland regarding the alleged mistreatment. The incident occurred on January 8 at 4:20 pm.
Speaking to EdinburghLive about the ordeal, Gabriels stated, “I was detained by Police Scotland under mental health powers, but it was a misunderstanding. My phone was dead, so my social worker couldn’t reach me and grew concerned. My mother informed them that I was fine, but they had already contacted the police. They arrived as I was taking out the trash.”
He continued, “Two officers approached me without explanation, grabbed me, and despite my non-resistance, they restrained me forcefully, including applying pressure to my neck, which impeded my breathing. Feeling distressed, I questioned their actions and began to struggle due to the pain they were causing.”
Gabriels further claimed that his mother filmed the incident, capturing officers using unnecessary force, including contact around his neck. The officers reportedly removed the restraints after escorting him to a police van at the bottom of his building, where they stated they were conducting a welfare check. Gabriels confronted them about their use of force during the encounter.
Expressing his dismay, Gabriels remarked, “They have tarnished my reputation. Residents in my building may assume I committed a serious offense. This situation could have been avoided if the police had approached me to discuss my well-being. I have been through similar checks before, and it didn’t unfold like this.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson disclosed, “A complaint has been lodged with Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Department and is presently being evaluated.”