Warning
THIS is the shocking moment a man throws himself off a bridge after being Tasered by police.
The man had been waving a screwdriver at cops before they shot him with the electronic device and he plummeted into the Thames below.
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Officers were called to a "disturbance" on Chelsea Bridge Road in west London at around 9am following reports that an armed man was shouting.
On arrival, they challenged him and a Taser was discharged but they were unable to safely detain him, the Metropolitan Police said.
The man, believed to be in his 40s, then made a run for it and plunged into the river.
A rescue operation was immediately launched and he was eventually rushed to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
Footage of the drama shows the Tasered man seemingly writhing in pain in the middle of the road while two officers shout orders.
He then jumps over a barrier before hurling himself over the railings and into the water below.
Kamal Elsayes, who was driving along the bridge at the time, said: "The guy had something in his hand that looked like a blue screwdriver.
"The police were telling him to put it down. He dropped it and next thing I know he jumps in the river."
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The witness, who runs photobooth business , added: "I couldn't believe it. I thought 'oh s***'.
"It was right in front of me. It was scary."
The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.
A referral has also been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Officers are in the process of contacting the man’s family. They will be supported by specialist officers.
Detective Chief Inspector Rory Wilkinson of the Met’s Central West BCU said: "My thoughts are with this man, who is extremely unwell in hospital.
"Officers are making every effort to make contact with his family.
"I understand that there are always concerns about incidents in which people come to harm having been in contact with police.
"All Met officers know that they are accountable for their actions, and a full investigation is under way to establish exactly what happened."
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