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| Yasser Yaqub shooting: Firearms officer feared 'imminent danger' | Yasser Yaqub shooting: Firearms officer feared 'imminent danger' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A police officer who shot dead a man feared his life was in "imminent danger" when he opened fire, a court heard. | A police officer who shot dead a man feared his life was in "imminent danger" when he opened fire, a court heard. |
| Yassar Yaqub was killed by armed officers after his car was stopped on the M62 motorway near Huddersfield. | Yassar Yaqub was killed by armed officers after his car was stopped on the M62 motorway near Huddersfield. |
| Three of Mr Yaqub's associates are on trial at Leeds Crown Court accused of possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. | Three of Mr Yaqub's associates are on trial at Leeds Crown Court accused of possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. |
| Mohsin Amin, Rexhino Arapaj and David Butlin deny all the charges. | Mohsin Amin, Rexhino Arapaj and David Butlin deny all the charges. |
| The court heard the men were travelling in convoy in two cars, with Mr Yaqub a front seat passenger in a vehicle driven by Mr Amin, in January 2017. | |
| Prosecutor Richard Moulson QC, read a statement from the West Yorkshire Police firearms officer identified only as "Victor 39". | Prosecutor Richard Moulson QC, read a statement from the West Yorkshire Police firearms officer identified only as "Victor 39". |
| The officer said he lowered the window of his car and pointed his firearm at the Audi containing Mr Yaqub and shouted at the men to raise their hands. | The officer said he lowered the window of his car and pointed his firearm at the Audi containing Mr Yaqub and shouted at the men to raise their hands. |
| He said the driver obeyed but Mr Yaqub "crouched down in the footwell". | He said the driver obeyed but Mr Yaqub "crouched down in the footwell". |
| "I was suddenly aware the male was bringing his hands up. His torso was still crouched down. I then saw the top of a handgun," the officer said. | "I was suddenly aware the male was bringing his hands up. His torso was still crouched down. I then saw the top of a handgun," the officer said. |
| "I was under no doubt he was holding a handgun. At this point the male quickly looked up at me then down at the handgun. He started to lift his hands. | "I was under no doubt he was holding a handgun. At this point the male quickly looked up at me then down at the handgun. He started to lift his hands. |
| "It is my honestly held belief that my life and that of my colleagues was in imminent danger. I fired my weapon." | "It is my honestly held belief that my life and that of my colleagues was in imminent danger. I fired my weapon." |
| The officer said he fired three shots. | The officer said he fired three shots. |
| "I fired a third shot as I continued to challenge him. He snapped his head up towards me, his eyes rolled into his head. I felt the immediate threat had gone." | "I fired a third shot as I continued to challenge him. He snapped his head up towards me, his eyes rolled into his head. I felt the immediate threat had gone." |
| The court heard a search of the Audi found a loaded pistol under the front passenger seat, together with a silencer and a bag of ammunition in the glove compartment. | The court heard a search of the Audi found a loaded pistol under the front passenger seat, together with a silencer and a bag of ammunition in the glove compartment. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |