This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19479188

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Azelle Rodney death: Officer feared 'immediate danger' Azelle Rodney death: Mother says police 'executed' her son
(about 1 hour later)
A police officer who shot dead a suspect fired the fatal shots because he thought the man was reaching for a weapon, a public inquiry has heard. The mother of a man shot six times by an officer after a car was stopped has told an inquiry that her son appears to have been "executed" by police.
Azelle Rodney, 24, from west London, was killed after officers stopped a car in Edgware, north London, in 2005. Azelle Rodney, 24, of west London, was killed after officers stopped a suspect car in Edgware, north London, in 2005.
Officers thought he and two others were on their way to commit an armed raid.Officers thought he and two others were on their way to commit an armed raid.
In a statement seen by the inquiry the officer, known only as E7, said he decided to fire as "I felt that my colleagues were in immediate danger". The inquiry also saw a statement from an officer, known only as E7, who said he opened fire because he feared colleagues were in immediate danger.
On Monday the inquiry heard Mr Rodney was "killed instantly" after being shot six times within seconds after the Volkswagen Golf he was in was brought to a "hard stop". Mr Rodney was killed on 30 April within seconds of the Volkswagen Golf he was in being brought to a "hard stop", the inquiry heard on Monday.
The inquiry was also shown police footage of three unmarked police cars following the Golf through Mill Hill on 30 April, before the vehicle was brought to a halt. Officers believed Mr Rodney, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham had machine guns and were on their way to commit a drugs-related armed robbery, the inquiry heard.
'Couldn't delay' Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander questioned why her son was shot, while the other two men were left unharmed.
Officers were then seen getting out of the car to apprehend the suspects after which the recording picked up the dull thuds of the bullets being fired by one of the officers. In a statement, she said his girlfriend was eight months pregnant at the time.
The inquiry heard officers believed Mr Rodney, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham had machine guns and were on their way to commit a drugs-related armed robbery. "To state the obvious they were at least able to walk away alive on 30 April and have long since served their prison sentences, while it seems to be that Azelle was executed that day and as a result never got to see his baby daughter," she said.
In a statement E7 said: "I believed I couldn't delay my decision to fire any longer. 'Criminal wrongdoing'
"I can only say that I'm still shocked that guns were found by police in the car that Azelle was travelling in when he was killed.
"I do not believe from what I have heard that police had good reason to shoot at him, let alone kill him."
Ms Alexander's barrister Leslie Thomas told the hearing Mr Rodney should have been arrested and brought to court if there was sufficient evidence against him.
"The fact that he was strongly suspected of being involved in criminal wrongdoing does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed," he said.
'Automatic weapon'
Earlier in a statement read in court E7 said: "I believed I couldn't delay my decision to fire any longer.
"I felt that my colleagues were in immediate danger.""I felt that my colleagues were in immediate danger."
The police marksman is expected give evidence at the inquiry from behind a screen. E7 is expected give evidence at the inquiry from behind a screen.
The public inquiry is being held because an inquest could not see all the intelligence information which led police to believe Mr Rodney was armed. Samantha Leek QC, who represents the Metropolitan Police marksman, told the inquest: "He believed that Mr Rodney had picked up and was preparing to shoot a fully automatic weapon, and he fired at Mr Rodney until he believed that there was no longer a threat."
On Monday the inquiry was shown police footage of three unmarked police cars following the Golf through Mill Hill, before the vehicle was brought to a halt.
Officers were then seen getting out to apprehend the suspects after which the recording picked up the dull thuds of the bullets being fired by one of the officers.
The public inquiry, which is taking place in a court room in the High Court Principal Registry of the Family Division, is being held because an inquest could not see all the intelligence information which led police to believe Mr Rodney was armed.