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Police shoot man dead in raid tied to alleged prison escape plot | Police shoot man dead in raid tied to alleged prison escape plot |
(33 minutes later) | |
Armed police have shot a man dead on a residential street and arrested six others as they swooped to foil an alleged plot to help a prisoner escape from custody. | Armed police have shot a man dead on a residential street and arrested six others as they swooped to foil an alleged plot to help a prisoner escape from custody. |
The man was shot on a street in Wood Green, north London, after a “pre-planned operation” by elite Metropolitan police units whose plainclothes officers descended on suspects just before 9am on Friday morning. | The man was shot on a street in Wood Green, north London, after a “pre-planned operation” by elite Metropolitan police units whose plainclothes officers descended on suspects just before 9am on Friday morning. |
Witnesses described hearing shouting before gunfire rang out. | Witnesses described hearing shouting before gunfire rang out. |
The officers were seen giving the suspect heart massage and administering oxygen seconds after shooting him. Paramedics from London’s air ambulance arrived soon after, but were unable to save his life. | The officers were seen giving the suspect heart massage and administering oxygen seconds after shooting him. Paramedics from London’s air ambulance arrived soon after, but were unable to save his life. |
Residents and passersby said they later saw two more men being taken away by police. | Residents and passersby said they later saw two more men being taken away by police. |
Scotland Yard said a 30-year-old and a 19-year-old were held by armed police in the Bracknell Close area, while a 31-year-old and a 25-year-old were detained in nearby Barratt Avenue. They are being questioned at separate police stations. | Scotland Yard said a 30-year-old and a 19-year-old were held by armed police in the Bracknell Close area, while a 31-year-old and a 25-year-old were detained in nearby Barratt Avenue. They are being questioned at separate police stations. |
The Met also said that a 29-year-old man and a 32-year-old man were arrested on Friday afternoon on suspicion of conspiracy to facilitate the escape of an individual from lawful custody. They have both been bailed to a later date in connection with the investigation. | The Met also said that a 29-year-old man and a 32-year-old man were arrested on Friday afternoon on suspicion of conspiracy to facilitate the escape of an individual from lawful custody. They have both been bailed to a later date in connection with the investigation. |
The Ministry of Justice refused to confirm reports that the incident was connected to the sentencing of two men, Erwin Amoyaw-Gyamfi and Erun Izzet, who were due in court for carjacking and firearms offences at 10am. The pair were each jailed for 14 years on Friday. | The Ministry of Justice refused to confirm reports that the incident was connected to the sentencing of two men, Erwin Amoyaw-Gyamfi and Erun Izzet, who were due in court for carjacking and firearms offences at 10am. The pair were each jailed for 14 years on Friday. |
“Following discussions with the police, there is an increased security presence at Wood Green crown court today,” an MoJ spokesman said. “The court continues to operate as normal. We cannot comment on this incident as it is now subject to a police investigation.” | “Following discussions with the police, there is an increased security presence at Wood Green crown court today,” an MoJ spokesman said. “The court continues to operate as normal. We cannot comment on this incident as it is now subject to a police investigation.” |
It is understood police feared there would be an attempt to intercept a van ferrying at least one suspect from jail to court. The intelligence led police to mount an undercover operation and have armed officers present. Following the incident, the Met posted a tweet saying the operation was not related to terrorism. | It is understood police feared there would be an attempt to intercept a van ferrying at least one suspect from jail to court. The intelligence led police to mount an undercover operation and have armed officers present. Following the incident, the Met posted a tweet saying the operation was not related to terrorism. |
We can confirm the police operation in #WoodGreen is not related to terrorism | We can confirm the police operation in #WoodGreen is not related to terrorism |
The incident has led to two investigations; the Metropolitan police will investigate the men it has arrested over the alleged plot; and the Independent Police Complaints Commission will investigate the shooting by police. | |
IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts said: “I give my assurances that a thorough, independent investigation into the circumstances is under way. My thoughts are with all of those affected by today’s events.” | |
At the scene in Bracknell Close, residents stood outside the police cordon for most of the day watching uniformed and plainclothes officers coming and going as forensic investigators in overalls carried out their work. | At the scene in Bracknell Close, residents stood outside the police cordon for most of the day watching uniformed and plainclothes officers coming and going as forensic investigators in overalls carried out their work. |
Donald Campbell and his crew of road resurfacers were working on Bracknell Close when armed police arrived in unmarked police cars. “Four, and then five, and then six. The police were up on the balcony [of flats overlooking the scene] as well. Obviously they came out of a house,” he said. | Donald Campbell and his crew of road resurfacers were working on Bracknell Close when armed police arrived in unmarked police cars. “Four, and then five, and then six. The police were up on the balcony [of flats overlooking the scene] as well. Obviously they came out of a house,” he said. |
“I have to look in my wing mirror and then I just saw the flash. Then I saw the police just tipping him over. He was in a black Audi. If I could make a guess, I would say he was Turkish.” | “I have to look in my wing mirror and then I just saw the flash. Then I saw the police just tipping him over. He was in a black Audi. If I could make a guess, I would say he was Turkish.” |
Something is happening in wood green again. Police everywhere and medical helicopter. pic.twitter.com/SbFygw1Jb5 | Something is happening in wood green again. Police everywhere and medical helicopter. pic.twitter.com/SbFygw1Jb5 |
This, plus 2 hovering police helicopters in Wood Green. What's going on? pic.twitter.com/O8fh8jFHqM | This, plus 2 hovering police helicopters in Wood Green. What's going on? pic.twitter.com/O8fh8jFHqM |
Another road worker, Nick Lindsay, said he had heard a car window smash. “The next minute a gunshot went off and the police were just shouting at us to get down,” he said. “We were dragged off to the end of the road, told to stay away. They’d obviously been watching the car.” | Another road worker, Nick Lindsay, said he had heard a car window smash. “The next minute a gunshot went off and the police were just shouting at us to get down,” he said. “We were dragged off to the end of the road, told to stay away. They’d obviously been watching the car.” |
A man working nearby, who asked not to be named, said he was round the corner from the scene when police opened fire, just before 9am. He heard one shot seconds before he descended steps leading down to Bracknell Close, finding himself yards away from where the man lay dying on the ground. Police were already administering oxygen in an effort to keep the man alive, said the witness, who told the Guardian he lived locally. | A man working nearby, who asked not to be named, said he was round the corner from the scene when police opened fire, just before 9am. He heard one shot seconds before he descended steps leading down to Bracknell Close, finding himself yards away from where the man lay dying on the ground. Police were already administering oxygen in an effort to keep the man alive, said the witness, who told the Guardian he lived locally. |
“I was thinking, ‘What did he get shot for?’, because the situation just seemed eerie. I said: ‘So what, did he have a gun?’ And the policeman said yes and nodded his head. I looked around, I didn’t look all the way around, but I didn’t see any gun,” he said. | “I was thinking, ‘What did he get shot for?’, because the situation just seemed eerie. I said: ‘So what, did he have a gun?’ And the policeman said yes and nodded his head. I looked around, I didn’t look all the way around, but I didn’t see any gun,” he said. |
The witness said the officers he saw were in plain clothes but wore masks that covered their faces all the way up to their eyes. “I think these were a different unit altogether, they weren’t Trident,” he said. “I know what Trident looks like.” Trident is a Met unit tackling gang violence in the capital. | The witness said the officers he saw were in plain clothes but wore masks that covered their faces all the way up to their eyes. “I think these were a different unit altogether, they weren’t Trident,” he said. “I know what Trident looks like.” Trident is a Met unit tackling gang violence in the capital. |
A woman whose flat overlooks the scene, and who preferred not to give her name, said she heard shouting just before a single gunshot. She said there were about eight plainclothes officers on the scene initially, who were quickly joined by uniformed colleagues. | A woman whose flat overlooks the scene, and who preferred not to give her name, said she heard shouting just before a single gunshot. She said there were about eight plainclothes officers on the scene initially, who were quickly joined by uniformed colleagues. |
“They were just all huddled around him, about maybe seven, eight or more officers, and I didn’t know what was going on at first. I didn’t realise someone was on the ground. Then I could see one of them moving up and down, obviously he was trying to give him chest compressions.” | “They were just all huddled around him, about maybe seven, eight or more officers, and I didn’t know what was going on at first. I didn’t realise someone was on the ground. Then I could see one of them moving up and down, obviously he was trying to give him chest compressions.” |
The law requires that shootings are investigated by theIPCC, whose investigators attended the scene in Haringey following the incident. For a police shooting to be lawful, officers have to show that they opened fire to protect their own lives or those of others. IPCC representatives will attend a post-incident debrief in which the officers involved will give an account of what happened during the shooting. | The law requires that shootings are investigated by theIPCC, whose investigators attended the scene in Haringey following the incident. For a police shooting to be lawful, officers have to show that they opened fire to protect their own lives or those of others. IPCC representatives will attend a post-incident debrief in which the officers involved will give an account of what happened during the shooting. |