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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Menezes identification 'definite' | Menezes identification 'definite' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A firearms officer shot Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station after hearing the Brazilian was "definitely our man", an inquest has heard. | A firearms officer shot Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station after hearing the Brazilian was "definitely our man", an inquest has heard. |
| The officer - using the code name C2 - said he had heard a surveillance officer positively identify the suspect as failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman. | The officer - using the code name C2 - said he had heard a surveillance officer positively identify the suspect as failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman. |
| Giving evidence in open court for the first time, C2 also said it had been the greatest threat he had faced. | Giving evidence in open court for the first time, C2 also said it had been the greatest threat he had faced. |
| Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot seven times in the head on 22 July 2005. | Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot seven times in the head on 22 July 2005. |
| 'Very distressing' | 'Very distressing' |
| C2 - who shot Mr de Menezes after his colleague C12 opened fire - recalled how, after Mr de Menezes had boarded a bus towards Stockwell, south London, a surveillance officer had identified him as Osman. | C2 - who shot Mr de Menezes after his colleague C12 opened fire - recalled how, after Mr de Menezes had boarded a bus towards Stockwell, south London, a surveillance officer had identified him as Osman. |
| I killed an innocent man... I think about that every day Firearms officer C2 | I killed an innocent man... I think about that every day Firearms officer C2 |
| "I heard over the radio there was a surveillance officer on the bus and I heard them say this was definitely our man," he told a jury at the Oval cricket ground, south London. | "I heard over the radio there was a surveillance officer on the bus and I heard them say this was definitely our man," he told a jury at the Oval cricket ground, south London. |
| When asked what else he had heard as he pursued the bus in a car with two other firearms officers, he said: "I heard over the radio that he was nervous, acting strangely and he was standing up in the stairs acting very twitchy." | When asked what else he had heard as he pursued the bus in a car with two other firearms officers, he said: "I heard over the radio that he was nervous, acting strangely and he was standing up in the stairs acting very twitchy." |
| C2 described the sequence of events leading up to the death of Mr de Menezes. But before reaching the actual shooting, C2 paused to offer his condolences to the Brazilian electrician's family. | C2 described the sequence of events leading up to the death of Mr de Menezes. But before reaching the actual shooting, C2 paused to offer his condolences to the Brazilian electrician's family. |
| He said: "This is very distressing for me. I completely respect and understand how difficult it is for them. | He said: "This is very distressing for me. I completely respect and understand how difficult it is for them. |
| "I would like to say that I am a father and that if he were my son, I would be utterly devastated." | "I would like to say that I am a father and that if he were my son, I would be utterly devastated." |
| 'Innocent man' | 'Innocent man' |
| The inquest heard that C2, a specialist firearms officer for 17 years, had never fired at a suspect before. | The inquest heard that C2, a specialist firearms officer for 17 years, had never fired at a suspect before. |
| The officer said he had been left with blood spattered on his gun, hands, arms, face and all over his clothes. | The officer said he had been left with blood spattered on his gun, hands, arms, face and all over his clothes. |
| CCTV footage of officers at Stockwell tube station | CCTV footage of officers at Stockwell tube station |
| He had initially felt "relieved" because he had believed he had saved his own life and those of his colleagues and the public from a suicide bomber intent on blowing himself up. | He had initially felt "relieved" because he had believed he had saved his own life and those of his colleagues and the public from a suicide bomber intent on blowing himself up. |
| But he had learned at noon the next day that the person he shot had been Mr de Menezes. | But he had learned at noon the next day that the person he shot had been Mr de Menezes. |
| "This is something that is very hard to explain. I was deeply shocked, I just couldn't believe it," he said. | "This is something that is very hard to explain. I was deeply shocked, I just couldn't believe it," he said. |
| "As a firearms instructor and as a specialist firearms officer, I know it is an individual officer's decision to fire a weapon and it was my responsibility, and I killed an innocent man. | "As a firearms instructor and as a specialist firearms officer, I know it is an individual officer's decision to fire a weapon and it was my responsibility, and I killed an innocent man. |
| "I think about that every day." | "I think about that every day." |
| Michael Mansfield QC, for the de Menezes family, accused C2 of lying about what he had heard and seen. | |
| But the officer replied: "I have never been more brutally honest in my life." | |
| Gun jammed | Gun jammed |
| After the order that Mr de Menezes "must not get on the Tube", C2 described how he had leapt over the ticket barrier at the station, run down the escalator and been directed on to the train by surveillance officers. | After the order that Mr de Menezes "must not get on the Tube", C2 described how he had leapt over the ticket barrier at the station, run down the escalator and been directed on to the train by surveillance officers. |
| He told the inquest he had not issued a warning immediately and could not recollect any of his colleagues identifying themselves. | He told the inquest he had not issued a warning immediately and could not recollect any of his colleagues identifying themselves. |
| "If I shouted, 'Armed police!' too early then he would be alerted to our presence, possibly he could initiate a device," he said. | "If I shouted, 'Armed police!' too early then he would be alerted to our presence, possibly he could initiate a device," he said. |
| He said when Mr de Menezes had walked towards him, he had been "convinced" he had been a suicide bomber. | He said when Mr de Menezes had walked towards him, he had been "convinced" he had been a suicide bomber. |
| "I had an honestly held belief that, unless I acted immediately, that I, and other persons present, were about to die," he said. | "I had an honestly held belief that, unless I acted immediately, that I, and other persons present, were about to die," he said. |
| "I formed the opinion the only option was to shoot this male in the head and kill him instantly to prevent any detonation." | "I formed the opinion the only option was to shoot this male in the head and kill him instantly to prevent any detonation." |
| He said his gun had jammed as he had fired six shots at the electrician and he had had to re-load the weapon by hand. He also said he had only shouted, "Armed police!" after deciding to shoot. | He said his gun had jammed as he had fired six shots at the electrician and he had had to re-load the weapon by hand. He also said he had only shouted, "Armed police!" after deciding to shoot. |
| 'Brutally honest' | 'Brutally honest' |
| Nicholas Hilliard QC, counsel to the inquest, asked C2 to explain why he had fired six shots. | Nicholas Hilliard QC, counsel to the inquest, asked C2 to explain why he had fired six shots. |
| "At the time I fired I believed that I, and everyone else, was about to die," he replied. | "At the time I fired I believed that I, and everyone else, was about to die," he replied. |
| "I had to ensure life was extinct also because of the fact I had a stoppage. I could not be certain if I had lost rounds in the process." | "I had to ensure life was extinct also because of the fact I had a stoppage. I could not be certain if I had lost rounds in the process." |
| He said he had fired at close range because he had not wanted to shoot Ivor, the surveillance officer, who had pinned Mr de Menezes to his seat, and other passengers in the Tube carriage. | He said he had fired at close range because he had not wanted to shoot Ivor, the surveillance officer, who had pinned Mr de Menezes to his seat, and other passengers in the Tube carriage. |
| Speaking outside court, Mr de Menezes' mother, Maria, accused C2 of being "very cold", adding: "He may have apologised, but it certainly didn't seem like he meant it." | |
| On Monday, C12 was accused of "grossly exaggerating" his evidence to justify his decision to open fire. | On Monday, C12 was accused of "grossly exaggerating" his evidence to justify his decision to open fire. |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |