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De Menezes family 'horrified' by new police shooting
Last updated at 13:37pm on 02.11.06
Mr de Menezes was shot dead at point-blank range by two officers the day after the July 21 attempted bombings
The scene of the shooting outside a building society in Kent where the police marksman killed a raider
The family of Jean Charles de Menezes reacted with horror today after it emerged that one of the police marksmen involved in his fatal shooting had shot a man during an operation to foil an armed robbery.
Weeks after returning to firearms duties, the officer - who cannot be identified - opened fire on a man allegedly taking part in a robbery on a building society in Kent.
The incident led to a wave of crisis meetings at Scotland Yard amid claims that the marksman should not have been on the front line so soon after the death of Mr de Menezes, who was mistaken for a suicide bomber at Stockwell Tube station in South London in July last year.
Mr de Menezes, a 27-year-old electrician, was shot dead at point-blank range by two officers the day after the July 21 attempted bombings.
A spokeswoman for the family said: "The family of Jean Charles de Menezes expressed shock and disbelief at the news that officers involved in the killing of Jean Charles have killed again.
"Family members were horrified to learn that the same officers have been given a licence to kill again even before the investigative process into Jean's death is complete."
Alex Pereira, Mr de Menezes' cousin, placed the blame for the situation at the door of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair.
He said: "We are shocked that someone responsible for the death of an innocent man has been given a licence to kill again.
"The investigations into Jean's killing haven't finished but the same officers have been handed back their guns as if nothing has happened.
"Sir Ian Blair might have hoped he could sweep Jean's death under the carpet but when the same mistakes keep being made, he has to be held responsible."
Asad Rehman, spokesman for Jean Charles de Menezes Family Campaign, said a "shadow" would hang over all the officers involved in his death until there was an "open and public investigation" of his shooting.
For more than a year, the marksmen, whose names remain secret, were on restricted duties within Scotland Yard's CO19 specialist firearms unit.
But in July this year, after they were told they would not face criminal charges, they were controversially cleared to carry firearms again and take part in operations.
On Tuesday night, one of the officers was involved in an operation to prevent a robbery on Romney Marsh in East Kent.
An as-yet unnamed man aged 42 was shot and died in hospital after the incident at an office of the Nationwide building society in New Romney at around 8pm.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad, supported by armed officers from CO19, were conducting what they called a 'proactive operation' to prevent an armed robbery and arrest those believed to be involved.
It was only last night that police sources confirmed one of the Stockwell marksmen had gunned the man down. They insisted he had 'no choice' but to shoot the suspect.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is still investigating the Stockwell shooting, has launched an inquiry into the Kent fatality.
In a statement, the Met said: "The firearms team involved in the Flying Squad operation in Kent did include officers from the same team who were involved in the Stockwell shooting in July last year.
"The Met has a small cadre of specialist highly-trained firearms officers who last year were deployed to 2,529 incidents and are involved in 938 pre-planned operations.
"They perform an extremely difficult but vital function responding to armed threats against the public and their unarmed colleagues and it is extremely rare for officers to fire their guns.
"As is proper, the IPCC is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting. Their inquiries are ongoing but they have confirmed that a firearm was recovered at the scene. It is deeply regrettable when anyone dies as a result of police action."
The Yard confirmed that one of the officers involved in the Kent shooting had been relieved of firearms duties. This is routine in such cases.
The force declined to give further details of what happened or comment on the number of shots fired during the operation, except to say that it was not terroristrelated.
It is unclear if any money was taken from the building society.
Three men were also arrested as part of the operation and they are being questioned by detectives.
Andrew Bourne, 21, whose father has a butcher's shop in New Romney, arrived at the scene about 20 minutes after the shooting and said he thought the alleged robbers had targeted a security van parked outside the Nationwide.
"I came down to the shop to grab some things. As I came down to the high street, it was all cordoned off at the traffic lights.
"There were police cars across the road. There was a Securitas van half off the kerb, half on.
"I could see a red car parked across the road at an odd angle. It was in the middle of the road. It really didn't look like an undercover police car - it was too old."
His father David, 54, chairman of the town's Traders' Association, said: "Things like this don't happen in New Romney. It is a very small town. During the day, the high street is very busy but luckily no other people got injured.
"Most of the community have either lived here all their lives or have moved down here for a quiet life."
He said: "I would have thought they were a gang from London or that area who could have targeted New Romney because it is small. They must have done their homework.
"There are no CCTV cameras here in New Romney. We have looked into it but the cost of it was too much."
Irene Clayson, 83, said she heard noises at the rear of her terrace home, which is near the Nationwide-at about 8.15pm.
"I heard a commotion and as I pulled back my curtains on a window facing where the shooting happened, I could see something but it was too dark to see exactly what was going on.
"I thought it might be children doing trick or treat. I wasn't too worried. I was very surprised when I heard there had been a shooting. I didn't hear a shot being fired.
"Perhaps they used a gun with a silencer, I don't know. I would have thought I would have heard a gun being fired."
Shopper Frederick Best, 72, said: "It's a shame this bloke was shot dead but it does happen. If you carry guns, you expect to get shot."
The shooting will heap even more pressure on beleaguered Met chief Sir Ian Blair. He has been questioned by watchdog officials investigating his conduct in the aftermath of the death of Mr de Menezes.
Sir Ian had to respond to claims by the innocent Brazilian's family that he misled the public in the wake of the Stockwell shooting.
Investigators from the Independent Police Complaints Commission-inquiry - codenamed Stockwell-2 - are due to reach their conclusion soon and their findings are seen as critical for Sir Ian's future.
He has been under pressure following a string of controversies, including revelations that he secretly taped phone conversations with the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith and three IPCC officials.
The shooting is the latest in a list of controversial incidents involving police marksmen.
In July 2001, father-of-four Derek Bennett, 29, was shot six times by officers in Brixton, South London. They thought his cigarette lighter was a weapon.
In September 1999, two officers shot dead a man they thought was carrying a sawn off shotgun - but who was actually holding a table leg.
Painter and decorator Harry Stanley, 46, was gunned down in Hackney, East London, after police said he ignored a warning and raised the bag he was holding.
A 999 call had suggested he was an Irish terrorist with a sawn-off shotgun.
Reader views (24)
"The rights and wrongs of the De Menzies case is one in point had he been home with his family and not been her illegally he wouldn't have been shot, not a popular thought but true none the less."
- Pat, sussex
What?!!! Not a popular thought because it's ridiculous, not because it's true.
- Brent, London Canada, 16/03/2010 13:23
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What on earth has it got to do with the De Menezes family, and why was their opinion sought in the first place? They may have suffered a terrible loss, but it does not make them experts.
- Teddy, Islington, UK, 02/11/2006 16:26
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I am happy for police officers to shoot armed robbers, personally it makes me feel more protected. I will not shed any tears for the fact that we have one less dangerous armed robber walking the streets of London.
- Karen, Paddington, 02/11/2006 15:52
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No British police officer should ever be allowed to carry a gun. No exceptions in any circumstances.
- Tom, London, UK, 02/11/2006 14:37
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50,000 yes, fifty thousand people shot to death murdered in Brazil last year. I am horrifed that the De Menezes family are not horrified in their own country.
- Frederick Gann, Dubai, 02/11/2006 14:06
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I make no comment on whether or not the shooting in Kent was appropriate or otherwise. I don't have the inside knowledge of the operation in order to know, and nor does anyone else unless they were there. What is blindingly obvious however is that the Met must be a desperately badly-managed organisation for senior officers to even think of deploying an armed officer who might still be roundly criticised for the the Stockwell shooting. If for no other reason than stress might effect his judgement, he should not have been allowed anywhere near a gun. Yet again Ian Blair is more concerned about the image of his force than the safety of the public. Why am I not surprised?
- David, Cambridge, UK, 02/11/2006 13:57
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The man shot an unarmed man 8 times while he sat on the tube. The reason, he 'looked' suspect. All these people backing this billy the kid wannabe should ask yourself how would you feel if it was your son who 'looked' suspect while this guy is on duty with a gun!
- Jeff, London, 02/11/2006 13:50
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This is for Peter Rhodes - Harrow, UK.
`Mr Shetland' is a born and bred Londoner, whose family background and lifestyle brought him into very close contact with serious criminals AND the police, and one who doesn't get his opinions from newspapers, television or the internet.
Happy with that?
- Ted, Shetland, 02/11/2006 13:25
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The officer was protecting himself, his colleagues and the public. Give the man a break, the police put their live on the line daily and deserve the full support of the public they defend! If you commit an armed robbery you can only expect the police to respond in a suitable fashion
- Paul, Bexleyheath, 02/11/2006 13:21
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This guy was doing his job. The man he shot was presumably armed since they were carrying out an armed robbery. If an armed robber is prepared to shoot an innocent person, then he can expect to be shot by the armed police, who are trained for this type of thing. I think he should be supported 100%.
- Lisa, London, 02/11/2006 13:05
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This is a way to reduce the huge amounts paid to the judiciary of this country, reduce the prison population and reinstate a backdoor capital punishment. If people go around arming themselves with guns and robbing places then they have to be prepared to pay with their lives. Its as simple as that. The Police are doing the jobs they have been trained to do. One less mouth to feed in prison is my attitude.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 02/11/2006 12:57
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I totally agree with Ian. If you have the correct intelligence information to be at the scene of an armed robbery and the criminals do not heed warnings, then they are fair game. We have too much sympathy for the rights of the criminals and not enough for police officers or victims of crimes.
I am sure that the residents of Belsize Park (another report today) would love to have more pro-active police involvement to stop their run of burglaries!
- Graham, Reading, England, 02/11/2006 12:31
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Of course he was right, if the armed robber was at home with his family and got shot that's different.
The rights and wrongs of the De Menzies case is one in point had he been home with his family and not been her illegally he wouldn't have been shot, not a popular thought but true none the less.
- Pat, sussex, 02/11/2006 12:15
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If you can't do the time (and that means death!) then don't do the crime!! If you carry a gun or something that resembles one, then expect the worse!!
- Gavin, Maidstone, Kent, 02/11/2006 12:05
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We definetly live in the culture of damned if you do and damned if you dont. If the armed robber had killed some innocent members of the public then the SO19 members would have been wrong for not taking direct action. This person has been highly trained to protect us in such circumstances and is under direct orders from others and has to make decisions in a spilt second. The Stockwell shooting was a tragedy for all those concerned and hopefully lessons have been learned. Armed robbers take their lives in their hands when they make the decision to rob for living.
- Jennifer Mosley, London England, 02/11/2006 10:58
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Policeman shoots armed robber....? You won't get any complaints from me. Let the guy get on with his job.
- Ian, London, 02/11/2006 10:27
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Err what? Can I believe the comments here? This guy was DOING HIS JOB. Protecting the public from armed robbers. You know the sort that gun down postmasters and kill police officers? Good on him for protecting the public from villains. I can't believe people are trying to say he's guilty of some crime when he was doing his job. The exact same voices who'd whinge if they hadn't have shot them, and they'd have shot a member of the public. If you don't want to get shot, don't threaten people with guns! Geeze...
- Huw Morgan, London, 02/11/2006 10:05
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I wonder how the people making the comments criticising the police officer would feel if they and their family were threatened with a sawn-off shotgun by a gang of robbers.
In my mind anybody who goes equipped with any lethal weapon must be aware that a police will use deadly force to protect the public , other officers and himself.
- Peter Judson, Ibstock, 02/11/2006 09:55
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The man's a hero. Fire a sawn off shot gun at Police and what do you expect to happen... Mr Shetland and Mr Switzerland - you obviously have no idea what working on the gun-riddled streets of London is really like.
- Peter Rhodes, Harrow, UK, 02/11/2006 09:49
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Nothing like jumping to conclusions. Yes I think we can all agree something went very wrong in the first case.
Lets just see what the FACTS are of the second shooting and then decide!
- Stuart, Dunstable, UK, 02/11/2006 09:45
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The police were just doing their job and protecting the public.
Would they rather that the gunman had shot some innocent people?
- Caroline, Richmond Upon Thames, 02/11/2006 09:44
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I believe that a ten year stint on rural traffic duty (minus his shooter) wouldn't be a bad idea for the Met's version of Billy the Kid.
- Ted, Shetland, 02/11/2006 08:46
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Do the met force have a licence to kill?
- Jonathan Marshall, Switzerland, 02/11/2006 07:10
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Give the guy a break. If the villans carry guns they deserve what they get.
- Freddie Jack, USA, 02/11/2006 00:04
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