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Police shooting death was lawful | Police shooting death was lawful |
(30 minutes later) | |
A man who was shot dead by police on the steps of a cathedral was lawfully killed, a jury has decided. | A man who was shot dead by police on the steps of a cathedral was lawfully killed, a jury has decided. |
David Sycamore, 39, died in November 2008 after producing a replica gun outside Guildford Cathedral. | David Sycamore, 39, died in November 2008 after producing a replica gun outside Guildford Cathedral. |
Prior to his death, Mr Sycamore had shown a student the gun and said he was going to "start shooting people". He was shot by two Surrey Police officers. | |
It took the jury of six women and five men six hours to reach the verdict after a five-day inquest in Woking. | It took the jury of six women and five men six hours to reach the verdict after a five-day inquest in Woking. |
Armed units were deployed to the scene by Insp Malcolm Biles of Surrey Police at 1456 BST after Christopher Sumsion, a student at the University of Surrey, dialled 999. | |
Mr Sycamore was found at 1514 BST outside the cathedral. Two minutes later, the force helicopter announced they had sight of him, sitting crossed legged on the floor. | |
The jury heard that Mr Sycamore was shot after pointing a gun at an officer, identified only as B2. | |
Shots were then fired by another officer at the same time, causing Mr Sycamore to fall backwards. | |
Despite efforts to save his life, Mr Sycamore, who had been diagnosed with depression and was taking anti-depressants, was pronounced dead at the scene. | |
Surrey coroner Michael Burgess said: "This case if nothing else shows very graphically that the carrying of arms, whether real or imitation, is very dangerous, and as in this case, may prove to be fatal." |