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Michael Fitzpatrick shooting: 'Police are going to kill me' | Michael Fitzpatrick shooting: 'Police are going to kill me' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A wanted man who was shot dead in a Brighton street told a friend police were going to find him and kill him, aninquest has been told. | |
Michael Fitzpatrick, 49, was shot by officers in Rock Place, in the Kemptown area of the city, on 10 February 2011. | Michael Fitzpatrick, 49, was shot by officers in Rock Place, in the Kemptown area of the city, on 10 February 2011. |
He had pulled out a handgun after officers stopped him on the street, Brighton Coroner's Court was told. | He had pulled out a handgun after officers stopped him on the street, Brighton Coroner's Court was told. |
His friend, Dustin Sussex, told the inquest jury Mr Fitzpatrick would rather have died than return to jail. | His friend, Dustin Sussex, told the inquest jury Mr Fitzpatrick would rather have died than return to jail. |
Sussex Police had wanted to speak to Mr Fitzpatrick in connection with several armed robberies. | Sussex Police had wanted to speak to Mr Fitzpatrick in connection with several armed robberies. |
He was fatally wounded in the chest and abdomen when police opened fire. | He was fatally wounded in the chest and abdomen when police opened fire. |
Mr Sussex, 31, said Mr Fitzpatrick had worked for him as driver and they had been close friends for four or five years. | Mr Sussex, 31, said Mr Fitzpatrick had worked for him as driver and they had been close friends for four or five years. |
The pair spoke on the phone and met regularly, he told the hearing, even after Mr Fitzpatrick stopped working for him. | The pair spoke on the phone and met regularly, he told the hearing, even after Mr Fitzpatrick stopped working for him. |
The inquest was told that, the weekend before Mr Fitzpatrick's death, the pair had met in the car park of Burgess Hill station. | The inquest was told that, the weekend before Mr Fitzpatrick's death, the pair had met in the car park of Burgess Hill station. |
Mr Sussex said: "He said that he would never end up back in prison. He said 'They are going to find me and they are going to kill me'. | Mr Sussex said: "He said that he would never end up back in prison. He said 'They are going to find me and they are going to kill me'. |
"He thought he was going to go back to prison because the police were looking for him. | "He thought he was going to go back to prison because the police were looking for him. |
"He said in conversations when we spoke about prison that he would rather be dead than go back there." | "He said in conversations when we spoke about prison that he would rather be dead than go back there." |
The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |