Menezes Officer Shot Man in Kent

[Guest guest]

A firearms officer involved in the shooting of Jean Charles de

Menezes shot a 42-year-old man during a police operation in Kent.

The man died later in hospital after the incident at a Nationwide

building society in New Romney on Tuesday.

 

Scotland Yard's CO19 firearms unit were supporting Flying Squad

officers as they tackled a suspected armed robbery.

 

Mr de Menezes was shot dead after police mistook him for a suicide

bomber at Stockwell Tube station in July 2005.

 

The BBC's home and legal affairs correspondent, Margaret Gilmore,

said: " Sources have told me one of two officers who shot dead the

innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell last year

also shot and injured a man during this operation. "

 

It is deeply regrettable when anyone dies as a result of police

action

 

Metropolitan Police

 

The police officer involved had been taken off firearms work after

the Stockwell shooting but returned to armed duty after the Crown

Prosecution Service decided he would not be prosecuted.

 

Scotland Yard confirmed a police officer involved in the New Romney

incident had been relieved of firearms duties, pending an inquiry.

 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has also begun an

investigation into the shooting.

 

The dead man, who has not been named, was injured at about 2000 GMT

and died later at the William Harvey Hospital, in Ashford.

 

A nearby resident reported hearing two " sharp retorts " which he

thought were fireworks.

 

 

Mr de Menezes was shot dead at Stockwell Tube station

 

Three men were arrested and a sawn-off shotgun was recovered during

the operation but no officers were injured.

 

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: " The Specialist Firearms

team (CO19) involved in the Flying Squad operation in Kent did

include officers from the same team who were involved in the

Stockwell shooting in July last year.

 

" The Met has a small cadre of specialist highly-trained firearms

officers who last year were deployed to 2,529 incidents and were

involved in 938 pre-planned operations.

 

" They perform an extremely difficult but vital function responding to

armed threats against the public and their unarmed colleagues and it

is extremely rare for officers to fire their guns.

 

" As is proper the IPCC is conducting an independent investigation

into the shooting. Their enquiries are ongoing but they have

confirmed that a firearm was recovered at the scene.

 

" It is deeply regrettable when anyone dies as a result of police

action. "

 

The Metropolitan Police Service faces a trial under health and safety

laws following the shooting of Mr de Menezes.

 

His family have also launched a legal action challenging a decision

not to charge individual officers over his death.