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Azelle Rodney death: Police had no justification for shooting | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Police had no lawful justification when they shot dead a 24-year-old man in north London eight years ago, an inquiry has found. | |
Azelle Rodney was shot six times in Edgware after the car he was in was stopped by police in 2005. | |
One officer, known as E7, claimed he believed Mr Rodney was reaching for a gun before he opened fire. | |
But the report said the officer "could not rationally have believed" that Mr Rodney had picked up a firearm. | |
Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "I have read the findings carefully and want to express my personal sympathy to Mr Rodney's family. | |
"The Met Police Service deeply regrets his death, and I recognise how distressing the inquiry must have been for them." | |
Former High Court judge Sir Christopher Holland released his findings following the public inquiry into the death. | |
Mr Rodney was killed when the VW Golf in which he was travelling was stopped by police after it had been under surveillance for several hours. | Mr Rodney was killed when the VW Golf in which he was travelling was stopped by police after it had been under surveillance for several hours. |
E7 told the inquiry he opened fire after fearing the gang had a sub-machine gun in the car. | |
Three guns were found in the Golf - a Colt .45 calibre pistol, a Baikal pistol and a smaller gun that was described as looking like a key fob. | |
Lawyers for Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander claimed he was the victim of "naked, violent aggression" and was unlawfully killed. | |