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Azelle Rodney death: Murder accused ex-PC Anthony Long 'opened fire' Azelle Rodney death: Murder accused ex-PC Anthony Long 'opened fire'
(35 minutes later)
A former Met Police officer accused of murdering a gang member had "not been acting lawfully when he opened fire", a court heard. A former Met Police officer accused of murdering a gang member was "not acting lawfully when he opened fire", a court heard.
Firearms specialist PC Anthony Long was trying to apprehend an armed gang in north London when Azelle Rodney was killed on 30 April 2005. Firearms specialist PC Anthony Long was trying to apprehend an armed gang in north London when Azelle Rodney was killed in April 2005.
The Old Bailey heard Mr Long fired eight shots at Mr Rodney from short range and in quick succession, six of which hit him. The Old Bailey heard Mr Long, from Surrey, fired eight shots at Mr Rodney from short range and in quick succession, six of which hit him.
The 58-year-old denies murder.The 58-year-old denies murder.
Opening the case Max Hill QC, prosecuting, said: "The majority of those shots caused fatal injuries to Azelle Rodney, culminating in the final two shots which were fired into the top of Azelle Rodney's head. Opening the case Max Hill QC, prosecuting, said: "The majority of those shots caused fatal injuries to Azelle Rodney, culminating in the final two shots which were fired into the top of Azelle Rodney's head."
"Therefore, we say, Mr Long was not acting lawfully when he opened fire." Police surrounded car
Armed officers had been authorised to use special tactics to stop and apprehend a gang they were tracking in north London on the evening of 30 April.
Three police cars had surrounded the VW Golf that Mr Rodney and two other suspects had been travelling in.
"The prosecution say that it was not necessary for Mr Long to open fire upon the Golf and Azelle Rodney.
"Therefore, we say, Mr Long was not acting lawfully when he opened fire," Mr Hill told the jury.
"Mr Long's actions in deliberately killing Azelle Rodney, when it was not necessary to do so, make Mr Long guilty of murder," he said.
The prosecutor said he did not wish to "belittle the onerous duties" carried out by specialist firearms officers like Mr Long and his team, but that with onerous duties came "onerous responsibilities."
Mr Long, from Leatherhead, joined the police in 1975 and had many years experience of handling weapons when he shot Mr Rodney, the jury heard.
The prosecutor said it was "imperative that firearms officers behaved professionally at all times and only took the extreme step of opening fire in public when absolutely necessary".