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| Azelle Rodney inquiry: officer shot dead two men in the 1980s | Azelle Rodney inquiry: officer shot dead two men in the 1980s |
| (5 months later) | |
| The veteran firearms officer who shot and killed Azelle Rodney in April 2005 denied that he was "trigger happy" after it emerged he had shot two men dead in the 1980s and injured two others while on duty. | The veteran firearms officer who shot and killed Azelle Rodney in April 2005 denied that he was "trigger happy" after it emerged he had shot two men dead in the 1980s and injured two others while on duty. |
| Amid angry scenes at an inquiry into the death of Rodney the officer, known only as E7, said claims a gun had been planted in Rodney's car were outrageous. But he accepted that forensic evidence contradicted a key part of his justification for firing shots at a man he killed. | Amid angry scenes at an inquiry into the death of Rodney the officer, known only as E7, said claims a gun had been planted in Rodney's car were outrageous. But he accepted that forensic evidence contradicted a key part of his justification for firing shots at a man he killed. |
| Rodney was struck by six bullets, fired by E7, after a car he was travelling in was forced by police to stop in Edgware, north London. Officers had intelligence that Rodney was part of a gang on its way, possibly armed with automatic weapons, to attack and rip off a rival drugs gang. Weapons were recovered from the vehicle. | Rodney was struck by six bullets, fired by E7, after a car he was travelling in was forced by police to stop in Edgware, north London. Officers had intelligence that Rodney was part of a gang on its way, possibly armed with automatic weapons, to attack and rip off a rival drugs gang. Weapons were recovered from the vehicle. |
| Officers in unmarked cars followed the Volkswagen Golf Rodney, 24, and two others were in, before deciding to force it to stop. E7 was in a car that pulled up alongside the VW Golf with Mr Rodney sat in the back seat. E7 said Rodney's movements and body language, including ducking down and coming back up again, left him convinced he had to open fire. | Officers in unmarked cars followed the Volkswagen Golf Rodney, 24, and two others were in, before deciding to force it to stop. E7 was in a car that pulled up alongside the VW Golf with Mr Rodney sat in the back seat. E7 said Rodney's movements and body language, including ducking down and coming back up again, left him convinced he had to open fire. |
| He told the inquiry he believed Rodney had ducked down to grab a weapon. The officer said he could not wait or shout a warning because the weapon he feared the suspect may have could fire 18 shots in a second: "In half a second he could have nine rounds in the air." | He told the inquiry he believed Rodney had ducked down to grab a weapon. The officer said he could not wait or shout a warning because the weapon he feared the suspect may have could fire 18 shots in a second: "In half a second he could have nine rounds in the air." |
| E7's first shot to strike Rodney, in the arm, was not fatal. He said he continued to fire, as the suspect remained upright and there was no obvious sign the shot had had any effect. But under questioning from Leslie Thomas for Rodney's family, E7 accepted forensic evidence that the suspect was falling when shot again. Video of the shooting shows E7 firing eight shots in just over a second. Two missed, one almost hitting another officer. | E7's first shot to strike Rodney, in the arm, was not fatal. He said he continued to fire, as the suspect remained upright and there was no obvious sign the shot had had any effect. But under questioning from Leslie Thomas for Rodney's family, E7 accepted forensic evidence that the suspect was falling when shot again. Video of the shooting shows E7 firing eight shots in just over a second. Two missed, one almost hitting another officer. |
| E7 said he accepted he had to justify in law every shot he fired. Pressed on why he continued to fire, E7 said the suspect posed a threat because he was still upright. | E7 said he accepted he had to justify in law every shot he fired. Pressed on why he continued to fire, E7 said the suspect posed a threat because he was still upright. |
| Thomas said forensic evidence showed the shot had been fired at a downwards angle, meaning E7's account was not correct: "He could not have been upright when you fired shot number two." | Thomas said forensic evidence showed the shot had been fired at a downwards angle, meaning E7's account was not correct: "He could not have been upright when you fired shot number two." |
| E7 said his "perception" was that Rodney was upright and added: "I am prepared to accept, in the light of the forensics, he was falling into my shots." That second shot to strike the suspect was in the back, the third and fourth to the right ear region. The final two shots were to the top of Rodney's head. | E7 said his "perception" was that Rodney was upright and added: "I am prepared to accept, in the light of the forensics, he was falling into my shots." That second shot to strike the suspect was in the back, the third and fourth to the right ear region. The final two shots were to the top of Rodney's head. |
| E7 denied firing indiscriminately. In an interview with the Independent Police Complaints Commission he refused to answer 149 questions, but denied at the inquiry believing he was above the law. | E7 denied firing indiscriminately. In an interview with the Independent Police Complaints Commission he refused to answer 149 questions, but denied at the inquiry believing he was above the law. |
| E7 described as "outrageous" and "insulting" claims that E7's colleagues had planted a gun when it turned out the officers belief that Rodney had been holding a gun was mistaken. | E7 described as "outrageous" and "insulting" claims that E7's colleagues had planted a gun when it turned out the officers belief that Rodney had been holding a gun was mistaken. |
| Thomas said: "We say that the gun that was found subsequently on the back seat of the car was put there, removed from one of the bags in the car, it was not next to Mr Rodney." | Thomas said: "We say that the gun that was found subsequently on the back seat of the car was put there, removed from one of the bags in the car, it was not next to Mr Rodney." |
| "No sir it's not true," E7 replied. | "No sir it's not true," E7 replied. |
| E7 said he opened fire fearing the suspect had a machine gun capable of firing one thousand rounds a minute and that the lives of his fellow officers were in danger. | E7 said he opened fire fearing the suspect had a machine gun capable of firing one thousand rounds a minute and that the lives of his fellow officers were in danger. |
| The mother of the dead man, Susan Alexander, interrupted E7's evidence. As the officer detailed the shooting he stopped and appeared to need to compose himself and Alexander called out: "How many lies are you going to tell?" She then left the inquiry chamber. | The mother of the dead man, Susan Alexander, interrupted E7's evidence. As the officer detailed the shooting he stopped and appeared to need to compose himself and Alexander called out: "How many lies are you going to tell?" She then left the inquiry chamber. |
| E7 was inches from Rodney when he opened fire: "His posture was one of someone preparing to fire a weapon," the officer said. | E7 was inches from Rodney when he opened fire: "His posture was one of someone preparing to fire a weapon," the officer said. |
| E7 said he did not see a weapon in Rodney's hands before opening fire but still believes he had one. | E7 said he did not see a weapon in Rodney's hands before opening fire but still believes he had one. |
| The inquiry heard that E7 had over two decades' experience as a firearms expert receiving commendations for his bravery, but he had been recommended for disciplinary action once for leaving his vehicle while on duty and arrested after a drunken fracas in a central London nightclub. He was not charged. In the 1980s he had shot two men dead in an operation and had wounded two other suspects. | The inquiry heard that E7 had over two decades' experience as a firearms expert receiving commendations for his bravery, but he had been recommended for disciplinary action once for leaving his vehicle while on duty and arrested after a drunken fracas in a central London nightclub. He was not charged. In the 1980s he had shot two men dead in an operation and had wounded two other suspects. |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |
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