[118306] in Cypherpunks
UK 'Gunman' Killed By Police Was Carrying Piece Of Wood
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Steve Mynott)
Fri Sep 24 21:47:49 1999
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 16:11:21 +0000
From: Steve Mynott <steve@tightrope.demon.co.uk>
To: cypherpunks <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net>
Message-ID: <19990923161121.A8129@tightrope.demon.co.uk>
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Reply-To: Steve Mynott <steve@tightrope.demon.co.uk>
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/990923/2/8bnz.html
'Gunman' Killed By Police Was Carrying Piece Of Wood
A suspected gunman shot dead by police was carrying a piece of wood in
a plastic bag, the Police Complaints Authority has confirmed.
Armed officers were called to Hackney, east London on Wednesday night
after a report that a man was carrying a gun in the blue bag. Officers
believed they were "under immediate threat" from a man, believed to be
in his 40s, who fitted the description and he was killed in a volley
of bullets.
But no weapon was found after an extensive search and the PCA has
confirmed that the bag contained a piece of wood.
They said more than one officer had opened fire after police were
called to Victoria Park Road at 7.44pm after being told by a member of
the public that the man had left the nearby Alexandra pub with what
was thought to be a gun in his bag.
Sources said two officers from the Metropolitan Police firearms unit
SO19 were at the scene of the shooting and a series of investigations
were now under way.
PCA deputy chair Molly Meacher, who has visited the scene, said:
"After the incident, it became apparent that the man had not been
carrying a firearm. The plastic bag contained a wooden object.
"The investigation will examine exactly what was reported to the
police and why, what the officers saw the man carrying, what actions
were taken by the man and whether his actions justified the officers
opening fire." The man, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at
the scene. It was the first time officers from the Met have opened
fire this year.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A man seen fitting the description
was challenged by officers searching the area. It appears the officers
believed they were under immediate threat from the man, and a number
of shots were fired by police.
"It is not known how many at this stage. The man, who is white, was
pronounced dead at the scene."
--
1024/D9C69DF9 steve mynott steve@tightrope.demon.co.uk http://www.pineal.com/
in the top 40, half the songs are secret messages to the teen world to
drop out, turn on, and groove with the chemicals and light shows at
discotheques. -- art linkletter
