A male individual who informed authorities of his possession of firearms and intent to harm himself was fatally shot by police in east London.
The IOPC is looking into the Dagenham incident.
Police were summoned to a residence in Weston Green around 8pm on Thursday after receiving a report from a man who expressed intentions of committing suicide.
Police were informed by a man, estimated to be 40 years old, that he possessed firearms.
The Metropolitan police stated that they tried to communicate with the person before an officer fired two gunshots shortly before 9pm, after the person had exited the property they had called from.
Despite the best efforts of law enforcement and emergency personnel, the individual was declared deceased at 9:30pm.
The IOPC stated that a gun was found by the man, and another one was retrieved from inside the building.
The director of IOPC, Amanda Rowe, expressed her condolences to the man’s family and everyone impacted by this unfortunate event.
We have communicated with his family to express our condolences and clarify our involvement.
Our task is to thoroughly examine the events leading up to the death of a man who was shot by the police, including the actions and choices made by the police in this situation.
“We are aware that there may be inquiries regarding the situation, however, it is crucial that we gather all the information about the incident before making any further statements.”
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased, the Dagenham community, and the officers involved in the incident.
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The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is conducting an investigation into this issue. It is important that police officers are held responsible when they discharge their firearms, and we will collaborate with the IOPC to provide them with all necessary information for their inquiries.
Our well-trained law enforcement personnel work 24/7 to ensure the safety of the public in London.
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Every day, we task them with an immensely challenging job and expect them to make quick decisions while being under immense pressure.
It is uncommon for police shootings to result in death. The officers involved in this incident are receiving support as they aid in the investigation conducted by the IOPC.
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In the United Kingdom and Ireland, individuals can reach Samaritans by calling 116 123 for free, emailing [email protected] or [email protected]. In the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be contacted by calling or texting 988, chatting on 988lifeline.org, or texting HOME to 741741 to speak with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline can be reached at 13 11 14. For other international helplines, visit befrienders.org.
Source: theguardian.com
