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Coroner to probe police shooting Man shot dead by police 'unhappy'
(about 11 hours later)
A jury is to hear evidence later into the fatal shooting of a man by police firearms officers on the steps of Guildford Cathedral in Surrey. A man shot dead by police at Guildford Cathedral was unhappy and may have wanted to die, an inquest heard.
David Sycamore, 39, who suffered from manic depression, was shot in the chest and arm on 20 November, 2008. David Sycamore, 39, who had manic depression, was shot in the chest and arm on 30 November 2008.
Four firearms officers were later taken off active duty while the killing was investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Police were called after he told a member of the public he was going to "start shooting people", but the gun fired only blanks.
The hearing is due to take place at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking. His ex-girlfriend said he told her he was unhappy at home and at work. The inquest is expected to last four days.
Mr Sycamore's family described him as a "loving and caring" young man who would go to the Cathedral to find "inner peace". Mr Sycamore was seen to pull out a gun, thought to be a handgun, on the steps of the cathedral, the jury was told.
"His intentions were never to harm anybody. He would never do this. But sadly the only loss was David who will be sorely missed," they said at the time of the shooting. 'On purpose'
Police were called after reports of an armed man in the area. The administrative assistant, who lived with his parents near the cathedral, was shot by two Surrey Police officers as he sat on the steps.
A weapon was recovered at the scene of the shooting which happened at about 1500 GMT. It was not discovered until his death that the 8mm gun could only fire blanks.
IPCC investigators were sent to provide an assessment following a referral of the shooting by Surrey Police. Coroner Michael Burgess said a police officer visiting Mr Sycamore's parents' home after his death recalled his mother saying: "He's done it on purpose. He had been saying he was going to get himself shot."
The investigators interviewed witnesses and studied footage seized from a police helicopter. He was always telling me he didn't want to live any more and he wanted to die. He wasn't happy Claire Hamilton, David Sycamore's ex-girlfriend
The inquest is expected to last several days. Mr Sycamore's brother Mark said he could not remember that conversation, only that his mother had broken down in tears after being told her son was dead.
Mr Sycamore was taking anti-depressants and made an attempt to take his life 17 years previously, the inquest heard.
He had also told an ex-girlfriend shortly before his death that he wanted to die.
His former girlfriend Claire Hamilton described how he made a series of phone calls to her shortly before his death, saying he was unhappy in work and at home.
She said: "He said it so many times to me. I didn't think he was going to do anything silly.
"He was always telling me he didn't want to live any more and he wanted to die. He wasn't happy."
The inquest, at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking, is continuing.