The police officers involved in an altercation that led to a Haverhill man’s death have been placed on paid administrative leave as the case is investigated, according to the Merrimack Valley city’s mayor.

Francis Gigliotti, 43, died Friday after police held him down outside a local seafood restaurant following reports that he had been acting erratically.

“The City of Haverhill mourns the loss of Mr. Gigliotti, a lifelong resident. I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Losing a loved one is tragic, but especially so under these circumstances,” Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett wrote in a statement.

“Mr. Gigliotti, his friends and family, and the public deserve a thorough and transparent investigation of his death. This is of utmost importance to me,” Barrett continued. “The seven officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation ensues.”

Haverhill Police were dispatched to the 100-block of White Street a little before 6:30 Friday night for reports of a man “behaving erratically,” according to the Essex County District Attorney’s office, which is investigating the police response.

The caller told police the man, later identified as Gigliotti, had fallen to the floor after leaving a building and then was running through traffic, nearly getting struck at multiple points, and even hit his head on a car.

When police arrived they found Gigliotti “behaving in a belligerent manner,” according to the DA’s office, and called for an ambulance for an assessment. But Gigliotti allegedly fled and attempted to enter Bradford Seafood at 124 Winter St., where officers brought him to the ground in a struggle. During this struggle, Gigliotti became unresponsive. EMS transported him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The seven police officers at the scene have been placed on leave as the DA’s office investigates.

“I am eager to hear the outcome of this investigation and see how the department and the City can learn and grow from this in the name of truth, justice, and public safety. At this time, I continue to urge patience as the investigation continues and all of the facts are disclosed,” Mayor Barrett wrote in her statement.

She added that she is “committed” to building resources and funding additional training and equipment for the Haverhill PD. She said that while officers of the department do not currently use body-worn cameras, the city has worked it into the contract with the Superior Officers union and is “actively seeking the same agreement with our patrol officers.”

Memorial messages are scrawled on the sidewalk outside Bradford Seafood on Winter Street in Haverhill where a man died after a struggle with police. (Todd Prussman/Boston Herald)