Man taken to hospital after Bayfair altercation

PHOTO/FILE

A man who injured a shopper at Bayfair Shopping Centre has been taken to hospital after what was believed to be a medical event.

Bayfair Shopping Centre manager Steve Ellingford confirmed an altercation took place in the centre about 4:30pm yesterday.

Mr Ellingford said: "A man unknown to centre management or retailers entered a fashion store and began behaving erratically. He then exited the store and proceeded to another area of the centre where he had an altercation with a shopper.

"Centre management and security attended the scene immediately, while a retailer, a security team member and a shopper restrained the man until police and ambulance staff arrived. The assaulted shopper sustained a minor injury and returned home after assisting police.

"While this was a frightening ordeal for those involved, no serious injuries appear to have been sustained and the man who behaved erratically was taken to hospital, where we understand he is being monitored by medical staff while police investigate."

Senior Sergeant Shannon Clifford said the man had been throwing items around a shop and was acting "irrational and aggressive".

The man was running around and had to be restrained, he said.

One person was caught up in the incident and received minor injuries which were treated at the scene, he said.

Mr Clifford said the man then collapsed and an ambulance was called. He believed the man suffered a medical event.

Police were still investigating, he said.