DA: ‘Erratic’ man dies after becoming unresponsive while being restrained by police in Haverhill

A man who was acting erratically in Haverhill on Friday night died after being subdued and restrained by police, officials said. Officers responding to a report of a man acting erratically in the area of 115 White St. found a 43-yrear-old man “behaving an in a belligerent manner and called from an ambulance to assess his well-being,” according to a statement issued by Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker. A review of video surveillance showed the man weaving in and out of traffic and nearly being struck several times by passing motorists. The caller indicated the man had fallen on the floor when leaving the building, was running in the middle of the street and that he hit a car with his head then continued down White Street. When the man fled from police and tried to enter the nearby Bradford Seafood, officers tried to restrain him and ended up on the ground with him in a struggle, the statement said. During the encounter, the man became unresponsive, and first responders attempted lifesaving aid. EMS arrived moments later and transported the male party to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  The incident remains under investigation by detectives assigned to the Office of the District Attorney, the Haverhill Police Department, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.