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Police shoot gunman dead
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent29.10.08
A MAN has been shot dead by armed police in Romford.
Scotland Yard said armed police were called to a McDonald's restaurant in Harold Hill at around 1.40pm. The man was said to have been waving a shotgun when the officers opened fire.
A witness said: "There is complete chaos with dozens of police and armed officers and a helicopter. Everyone was told to leave the area."
A police spokeswoman said: "Armed officers attended at the request of borough officers. A man has been shot by police." The Department for Professional Standards is investigating.
Reader views (10)
I have my feet firmly planted on planet earth-thank you. Please read my first comment carefully before posting - thank you all ... the clue is in the first line followed by "what do you expect" ... honestly Casper Slides from France and Phil from Kent UK ... really! Oh and for the record - police have got it wrong ... on more than one occasion. They do a great job don't get me wrong. All I'm saying - again is that in this day and age ... we should be able to bring someone down without killing them...
- Panos Taliadoros, Guildford UK
Frank, pointless comment based on the information in the article.
- Stuart, Luton, UK
Panos in Guildford.. What planet are you from?
If armed police turn up and someone points a gun at them or refuses their instructions they get shot dead.
End of...
- Phil, Kent, UK
Yep - rubber bullets, CS gas - hang on, they tried those. They got ripped to shreds in the lawsuits and accusations of misuse and so on. Then there's that other little point - people aren't paid to commit suicide by taking down an individual who is obviously homicidal as well as suicidal. They are paid to make sure that these people do as little damage as possible - hopefully to themselves as well, but certainly to the innocent that are all too often the indiscriminate targets of these unbalanced and thus self-centred people.
- Rogan, Irving
Good for the police. Shoot first and ask questions after.
- Frank, England.
Panos, I don't care what the person's problem is. If they are waving a loaded weapon about and likely to do me harm I want them disabled. If that means shooting them dead then so be it. Which is why it is so reassuring to live in a country where the police are all armed.
- Casper Slides, France
Okay Panos. You go and disarm a guy waving a shotgun, without shooting him.
- David, London
Note the words of the Met statement very carefully " . . . a man has been shot by police . . .", not " an armed man . . .". There is more to come from this.
- Legaleagle, London
The collander boys strike again.
- Ericrigby, UK
Well if the story is true and he was waving the shotgun with intent to shoot-then what do you expect....but I do feel that in this day and age we must have a way of stopping a person without killing them. Some people need help: are mentally disturbed and are not in control of their actions.
- Panos Taliadoros, Guildford UK
