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| Dramatic video footage shows a shootout between gunman and armed police officer in north London | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A gunman fired three shots into a pool hall and then turned his gun on an armed police officer who had staked out the venue in north London in a dramatic shootout caught on CCTV cameras , a court has heard. | A gunman fired three shots into a pool hall and then turned his gun on an armed police officer who had staked out the venue in north London in a dramatic shootout caught on CCTV cameras , a court has heard. |
| Sedat Meric, 25, was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at the Old Bailey in London. | Sedat Meric, 25, was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at the Old Bailey in London. |
| In the video, Meric is seen drawing a pistol from a pocket of his hooded jacket then firing into the West Green Pool Bar in May this year. | In the video, Meric is seen drawing a pistol from a pocket of his hooded jacket then firing into the West Green Pool Bar in May this year. |
| As he trots away, the police officer approaches and there is an exchange of fire which continues down a car-lined side street. | As he trots away, the police officer approaches and there is an exchange of fire which continues down a car-lined side street. |
| Meric eventually ran out of bullets and surrendered. | Meric eventually ran out of bullets and surrendered. |
| Giving evidence from behind a screen, the officer, identified as NC32, gave a detailed description of what happened. | Giving evidence from behind a screen, the officer, identified as NC32, gave a detailed description of what happened. |
| “I thought he fired at least two shots. My reaction was of shock and having to make a decision on what I was going to do and his reaction was to turn back the way he had come from. I started to run across the road,” he said. | “I thought he fired at least two shots. My reaction was of shock and having to make a decision on what I was going to do and his reaction was to turn back the way he had come from. I started to run across the road,” he said. |
| “While I was running across the road, I drew my pistol from my right hip and shouted to him 'armed police, stand still'.“ | “While I was running across the road, I drew my pistol from my right hip and shouted to him 'armed police, stand still'.“ |
| The officer was about 15 to 20 metres away when Meric reacted. | The officer was about 15 to 20 metres away when Meric reacted. |
| “He turned to face me and he brought his pistol up and fired at me. I returned fire with a single round,” NC32 said. | “He turned to face me and he brought his pistol up and fired at me. I returned fire with a single round,” NC32 said. |
| The gunman carried on running and the officer followed, while trying to get some cover behind cars on the opposite side of the road, the court heard. | The gunman carried on running and the officer followed, while trying to get some cover behind cars on the opposite side of the road, the court heard. |
| “As I moved down the side of the vehicle I am bobbing up and down. I can see the male on the opposite pavement and he is looking at me,” the officer told the court. “I continue to shout 'armed police' and 'police' and got to the end of the first vehicle and he fires again at me.” | “As I moved down the side of the vehicle I am bobbing up and down. I can see the male on the opposite pavement and he is looking at me,” the officer told the court. “I continue to shout 'armed police' and 'police' and got to the end of the first vehicle and he fires again at me.” |
| NC32 said he continued shouting “armed police” in the hope that Meric would “stop firing”. | NC32 said he continued shouting “armed police” in the hope that Meric would “stop firing”. |
| “It was at this point that I fired again at the male on the opposite side of the road. He immediately returned fire again at me,” he said. | “It was at this point that I fired again at the male on the opposite side of the road. He immediately returned fire again at me,” he said. |
| But then, the firing stopped. “I came up and looked towards him and could see he was throwing the gun to his right hand side and putting his hands in the air,” NC32 said. “He did so saying something to the effect 'okay, okay'. It was a gesture of surrender.” | But then, the firing stopped. “I came up and looked towards him and could see he was throwing the gun to his right hand side and putting his hands in the air,” NC32 said. “He did so saying something to the effect 'okay, okay'. It was a gesture of surrender.” |
| “I had my gun on aim and closed the gap towards him and I told him to turn and put his hands up against the wall,” he said. | “I had my gun on aim and closed the gap towards him and I told him to turn and put his hands up against the wall,” he said. |
| The court heard that officers from the National Crime Agency’s Armed Operations Unit were carrying out surveillance in the area in relation to a threat to kill a third man. | The court heard that officers from the National Crime Agency’s Armed Operations Unit were carrying out surveillance in the area in relation to a threat to kill a third man. |
| Meric fired the shots into the pool hall as a warning to the people who had been making the threats, the jury was told. | Meric fired the shots into the pool hall as a warning to the people who had been making the threats, the jury was told. |
| The prosecution said Meric and his accomplice, 22-year-old Oktay Ayanoglu, had gone to the club for an ”armed revenge attack“ following a fight in Tottenham less than 24 hours earlier, involving baseball bats, billiard cues and metal poles. | The prosecution said Meric and his accomplice, 22-year-old Oktay Ayanoglu, had gone to the club for an ”armed revenge attack“ following a fight in Tottenham less than 24 hours earlier, involving baseball bats, billiard cues and metal poles. |
| Ayanoglu, who was arrested as he ran from the scene, was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. | Ayanoglu, who was arrested as he ran from the scene, was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. |
| Adjourning sentencing to 9 January, Judge Michael Topolski warned Meric and Ayanoglu, both from north London, to expect ”significant terms of imprisonment“. | Adjourning sentencing to 9 January, Judge Michael Topolski warned Meric and Ayanoglu, both from north London, to expect ”significant terms of imprisonment“. |
| He said: ”This was - on the evidence - a response to a set of circumstances, a dramatic and out of character response.“ | He said: ”This was - on the evidence - a response to a set of circumstances, a dramatic and out of character response.“ |
| Rob Lewin, head of the NCA's Specialist Operations Unit, said: “'Our NCA officer demonstrated professionalism and bravery in the face of extreme danger. | Rob Lewin, head of the NCA's Specialist Operations Unit, said: “'Our NCA officer demonstrated professionalism and bravery in the face of extreme danger. |
| “All NCA firearms officers are trained to the highest standards; the measured and proportionate actions of this officer protected the public in what was a highly volatile situation.” | “All NCA firearms officers are trained to the highest standards; the measured and proportionate actions of this officer protected the public in what was a highly volatile situation.” |