A 33 year old man arrested during an incident in the middle of Tahmoor died after suffering a medical episode while being taken to hospital in an ambulance under police guard.
A critical incident team from Bankstown Police Area Command will now investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The police operation started about 1pm yesterday, when officers attended Remembrance Driveway at Tahmoor.
They were responding to reports that a man armed with a knife was trying to stop traffic and attempting to enter vehicles.
On arrival, police found a man lying over the bonnet of a vehicle stopped in traffic on the roadway.
Police officers drew a taser and verbally directed the man to the ground, which he complied with.
There was no discharge of the taser probes and police allege a knife was located at the scene.
Police effected the arrest and handcuffing of the man, assisted by members of the public.
Prompt assistance was provided by NSW Ambulance paramedics and the man was conveyed to hospital under police guard.
On the way to the hospital, he suffered a significant medical episode, causing the ambulance to stop by the roadside and provide critical medical attention, assisted by two further ambulance crews and police officers.
However, despite a coordinated life-saving operation, the man was unable to be revived and he died at Liverpool Hospital a short time later.
As well as an investigation, the incident is subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and oversighted by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
