A grieving man says he was threatened by police shortly after witnessing his partner pinned to the ground moments before his final breath.
Collin Burling, a 45-year-old man from Waterloo in Sydney’s inner south, died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on July 15 after being restrained by police.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Man dies in police custody in Waterloo.
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Burling’s partner, Tate Collins, filmed the interaction between Burling, police, and paramedics from their unit’s balcony.
Shortly afterward, three officers went to Collins’ unit to question him about objects allegedly thrown from the apartment and asked him to open the door.
CCTV footage obtained exclusively by 7NEWS captured the encounter.
When Collins refused, saying, “F*** off, he’s been killed by you *****,” a police officer replied, “Well, you just got to be the next.”
“I was petrified. I was petrified for my life. I absolutely lost it. In fear of my own life, I jumped on the phone to a Triple-0,” Collins told 7NEWS.
After a five-minute standoff, the officers left.
“Bizarre circumstances that I hope I never experience again,” Collins said.
On the night of the incident, Burling had called Triple-0 requesting the fire department check his unit for carbon monoxide, and paramedics were called amid fears of poisoning.
NSW Ambulance later requested “urgent” police assistance, suspecting Burling was “suffering or possibly suffering from a mental health episode”, Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said.
Police said Burling was initially cooperative as officers and paramedics assisted him into an ambulance but became distressed.
A man named Colin Burling suffered a fatal heart attack after being restrained by police in Sydney. His partner filmed the incident, which shows officers pinning Burling to the ground despite his pleas that he could not breathe.
In video footage recorded by Collins from their apartment above, Burling can be heard saying he was not a threat.
“I’m not a threat … what have I done? I want to know what I’ve been charged with,” he says.
“You’ve not been charged with anything, Collin,” an officer replies.
Police later said Burling’s distress prompted them to handcuff him so he could be sedated.
A second video taken by Collins shows Burling pinned face down on the ground with four officers on top of him.
While police told him to stop resisting, he was heard begging for help.
“I’m not a threat,” Burling says. “Help me.”
“I can’t breathe, I’m dying, help,” he said before becoming unconscious.
Collins said Burling didn’t have to die, he “begged not to die”.
“He was a beautiful man. He’s a big, burly bloke, but he’s got a heart of gold,” Collins said.
Police say Burling was on parole and had a history of domestic violence and assault.
Following Burling’s death, police declared a critical incident, which involves any police-related event resulting in death or serious injury.
A critical incident investigation team from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The investigation will be subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
Detectives have confirmed they have obtained the new video footage and it will form part of the internal investigation.
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