Family and friends of a Haverhill man killed during an interaction with police last week have retained an attorney to investigate his death.

The family of Francis Gigliotti, who died Friday at 43, hired attorney Timothy Bradl to ensure a “full accountability regarding the circumstances, cause, and manner of Francis’ death,” according to a press release.

“We are heartbroken to share the tragic loss of Francis, the firstborn child and son of his mother,” the family wrote in a statement shared by Bradl.

“Francis was a good man — a devoted, hardworking individual who consistently put his family first. He took care of his loved ones selflessly, including his mother, siblings, nieces and nephews, his fiancee, and her daughter,” the statement continued.

Gigliotti’s fiancee, Michele Rooney, said that she is thankful for the support that she and the family have received.

“This is a shock to us all,” Rooney wrote in her statement. “None of us ever expected this to happen, especially to someone that we all love so much.”

“One thing Francis always hated was when people were judgmental before they had all the information,” she continued. “Francis never judged anyone and had nothing but love for all.”

The seven police officers involved in Friday’s interaction with Gigliotti were placed on administrative leave as the Haverhill Police Department and the Essex District Attorney’s office investigate the circumstances, the town’s mayor said earlier this week.

“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,” Mayor Melinda Barrett wrote in a statement.

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.

Bradl said “this is an unimaginable loss for the Gigliotti family,” adding that “in the wake of this devastating event, the family has handled their grief with remarkable dignity and grace.”

The Haverhill PD doesn’t use body-worn cameras, according to the mayor’s statement, so both local authorities and Bradl are urging anyone with information, video, or even eyewitness accounts to come forward and share them.

“The family is seeking full transparency as we work to confront the hard truths about police use of deadly force, the inadequacy of training for interactions with emotionally distressed persons, and the repeated instances of ‘officer created jeopardy’ resulting in tragedy,” Bradl said.

Bradl is famously the defense attorney for the blogger Aidan Kearney, who faces multiple charges of witness intimidation related to the Karen Read murder case. Kearney, who blogs under the “Turtleboy” name, is ardently pro-Read, who following a second trial was last month was acquitted of all felony-level offenses against her.