Pedestrian 'who may have been on headphones' killed in Birmingham after being hit by police car
A 40-year-old man has died after being hit by a police car responding to a 999 call in Birmingham.
The incident occurred at around 7pm on Wednesday (March 19) on Yardley Road, near the junction with Florence Road in the Acocks Green area. Officers were responding to reports of a man carrying knives on Warwick Road when the fatal collision happened.
Local residents have suggested that the pedestrian may have been wearing earphones at the time of the accident, possibly making him unaware of the approaching police car. Some witnesses believe the man was on the zebra crossing when he was struck.
One resident wrote on Facebook: “A man with his headphones on stepped into the road to cross on the zebra crossing and apparently got knocked over by a police car.” Another local added: “I live on Station Road and I can see Yardley Road from my bedroom window. I see police cars speeding up and down that road occasionally.”
West Midlands Police have not yet commented on these claims. A spokesperson from the force confirmed that the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. They said: "The marked police vehicle was responding to a 999 call relating to a report of a man carrying knives on Warwick Road in Acocks Green at the time of the collision."
The spokesperson also noted that the officers in the vehicle were not injured and that the family of the deceased man is being supported. The force is working with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as part of the investigation into the incident.
Police are urging anyone with dashcam footage or other information related to the fatal crash to contact them on 101, quoting log 4726 of March 19.