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| Why did Met officer keep firing at Azelle Rodney? | Why did Met officer keep firing at Azelle Rodney? |
| (3 months later) | |
| According to the law, every single shot a police marksman fires has to be justified. | According to the law, every single shot a police marksman fires has to be justified. |
| The issue facing the officer who shot Azelle Rodney six times was that the forensics and expert evidence challenged his account as to why he opened fire – and kept firing. | The issue facing the officer who shot Azelle Rodney six times was that the forensics and expert evidence challenged his account as to why he opened fire – and kept firing. |
| The officer was known to the inquiry into Rodney's death only as E7. He was in an unmarked police car that pulled up alongside the VW Golf in which Rodney, a suspect, was travelling in the rear passenger seat. | The officer was known to the inquiry into Rodney's death only as E7. He was in an unmarked police car that pulled up alongside the VW Golf in which Rodney, a suspect, was travelling in the rear passenger seat. |
| The shooting happened in daylight in April 2005. Police had been watching Rodney and others in the car, believing they were armed and on their way to rob a Colombian drugs gang at gunpoint. | The shooting happened in daylight in April 2005. Police had been watching Rodney and others in the car, believing they were armed and on their way to rob a Colombian drugs gang at gunpoint. |
| As the car Rodney was travelling in approached a roundabout in Edgware, north London, the police order was given: "Attack, attack, attack." | As the car Rodney was travelling in approached a roundabout in Edgware, north London, the police order was given: "Attack, attack, attack." |
| One officer who was part of the team following Rodney and two others in the car, had decided to take a video camera and record the incident. An officer's voice can be heard saying, "Sweet as," three times, while a total of eight shots are fired in rapid succession. | One officer who was part of the team following Rodney and two others in the car, had decided to take a video camera and record the incident. An officer's voice can be heard saying, "Sweet as," three times, while a total of eight shots are fired in rapid succession. |
| Giving evidence at the inquiry into the death, E7 said he was sitting in the front seat of an unmarked police car. As it came alongside the Golf, he said Rodney's movements and body language, including ducking down and coming back up again, left him convinced he had to open fire. | Giving evidence at the inquiry into the death, E7 said he was sitting in the front seat of an unmarked police car. As it came alongside the Golf, he said Rodney's movements and body language, including ducking down and coming back up again, left him convinced he had to open fire. |
| Tests carried out for the inquiry show that E7 had sight of Rodney for 0.88 secs before starting to fire. He told the inquiry he believed Rodney had ducked down in order to grab a weapon, which an intelligence briefing had said could be an automatic machine gun. | Tests carried out for the inquiry show that E7 had sight of Rodney for 0.88 secs before starting to fire. He told the inquiry he believed Rodney had ducked down in order to grab a weapon, which an intelligence briefing had said could be an automatic machine gun. |
| E7 gave a detailed and vivid account of what happened when he and Rodney, both still sitting in their cars, came face to face: "He ducked down, and so one moment I was looking at him sitting upright and the next moment, I was looking at the top of his head." | E7 gave a detailed and vivid account of what happened when he and Rodney, both still sitting in their cars, came face to face: "He ducked down, and so one moment I was looking at him sitting upright and the next moment, I was looking at the top of his head." |
| The officer continued: "He ducked down across the seat so, effectively, he was lying across the back seat with his head towards me. The next thing I knew, he was sitting in an upright position. His shoulders were hunched, he was leaning forward. I couldn't see his hands. I was absolutely convinced at that point that the only explanation I could think of for him ducking down and coming up so quickly again was that he had obtained a firearm, I assumed from the floor of the vehicle. That was my assumption." | The officer continued: "He ducked down across the seat so, effectively, he was lying across the back seat with his head towards me. The next thing I knew, he was sitting in an upright position. His shoulders were hunched, he was leaning forward. I couldn't see his hands. I was absolutely convinced at that point that the only explanation I could think of for him ducking down and coming up so quickly again was that he had obtained a firearm, I assumed from the floor of the vehicle. That was my assumption." |
| The officer said he could not wait or shout a warning because the automatic weapon he feared the suspect may have could fire 18 shots in a second: "In half a second he could have nine rounds in the air." | The officer said he could not wait or shout a warning because the automatic weapon he feared the suspect may have could fire 18 shots in a second: "In half a second he could have nine rounds in the air." |
| E7 said he was aware that fellow armed officers were, at this point, rushing out of two other cars which had boxed in the Golf, and he said he feared they and he were at risk: "Everything about his body language, his posture, everything, indicated to me that he had picked up a weapon and he was preparing to fire." | E7 said he was aware that fellow armed officers were, at this point, rushing out of two other cars which had boxed in the Golf, and he said he feared they and he were at risk: "Everything about his body language, his posture, everything, indicated to me that he had picked up a weapon and he was preparing to fire." |
| He continued: "I believed at the time that he had a firearm in his hand. It was everything about his body language that led me to believe that he had picked up a firearm and was preparing to use it." | He continued: "I believed at the time that he had a firearm in his hand. It was everything about his body language that led me to believe that he had picked up a firearm and was preparing to use it." |
| E7 said he continued to fire as Rodney remained upright. But forensic and ballistic tests suggest several bullets hit Rodney as he was falling down, appearing to contradict the marksman's account. | E7 said he continued to fire as Rodney remained upright. But forensic and ballistic tests suggest several bullets hit Rodney as he was falling down, appearing to contradict the marksman's account. |
| E7's first shot to strike Rodney, in the arm, was not fatal. He said he continued to fire, as the suspect remained upright and there was no obvious sign the shot had had any effect. | E7's first shot to strike Rodney, in the arm, was not fatal. He said he continued to fire, as the suspect remained upright and there was no obvious sign the shot had had any effect. |
| But under questioning from barrister Leslie Thomas, representing Rodney's family, E7 accepted forensic evidence that the suspect was falling when shot again. | But under questioning from barrister Leslie Thomas, representing Rodney's family, E7 accepted forensic evidence that the suspect was falling when shot again. |
| A recording of the shooting shows E7 fired eight shots in just over a second. Two missed, one of them almost hitting another officer. Pressed at the inquiry on why he continued to fire, E7 stuck to his original position and said the suspect posed a threat because he was still upright. | A recording of the shooting shows E7 fired eight shots in just over a second. Two missed, one of them almost hitting another officer. Pressed at the inquiry on why he continued to fire, E7 stuck to his original position and said the suspect posed a threat because he was still upright. |
| Thomas said forensic evidence showed the shot had been fired at a downwards angle, meaning E7's account was not correct: "He could not have been upright when you fired shot number two." | Thomas said forensic evidence showed the shot had been fired at a downwards angle, meaning E7's account was not correct: "He could not have been upright when you fired shot number two." |
| E7 said his "perception" was that Rodney was upright and added: "I am prepared to accept, in the light of the forensics, he was falling into my shots." | E7 said his "perception" was that Rodney was upright and added: "I am prepared to accept, in the light of the forensics, he was falling into my shots." |
| After the shot that struck Rodney in the arm the next five bullet wounds were all determined to have had a "steeply downwards" trajectory, according to Anthony Miller, a ballistics expert who testified at the official inquiry. The second shot to strike the suspect was in the back, the third and fourth to the right ear region. The final two shots were to the top of Rodney's head. | After the shot that struck Rodney in the arm the next five bullet wounds were all determined to have had a "steeply downwards" trajectory, according to Anthony Miller, a ballistics expert who testified at the official inquiry. The second shot to strike the suspect was in the back, the third and fourth to the right ear region. The final two shots were to the top of Rodney's head. |
| Thus, when the fatal bullets were fired, Rodney was falling and slumped horizontally as a result of earlier shots, and not upright, according to the opinion of experts commissioned by the inquiry. | Thus, when the fatal bullets were fired, Rodney was falling and slumped horizontally as a result of earlier shots, and not upright, according to the opinion of experts commissioned by the inquiry. |
| Before the operation, firearms officers were briefed by their bosses that Rodney and the other suspects were armed, possibly with automatic weapons able to fire 1,000 bullets a minute. Weapons were recovered from the silver Golf, but there were no machine guns. | Before the operation, firearms officers were briefed by their bosses that Rodney and the other suspects were armed, possibly with automatic weapons able to fire 1,000 bullets a minute. Weapons were recovered from the silver Golf, but there were no machine guns. |
| One weapon could not fire and was located under some yellow plastic on the rear seat where Rodney was sitting and ultimately died. | One weapon could not fire and was located under some yellow plastic on the rear seat where Rodney was sitting and ultimately died. |
| A pistol was recovered from the vehicle's rear footwell, wrapped inside a scarf in a rucksack containing four rounds. In the same bag was a gun that looked like a key fob, which contained two rounds of ammunition. Rodney's family claim the gun on the rear seat was planted after the shooting. | A pistol was recovered from the vehicle's rear footwell, wrapped inside a scarf in a rucksack containing four rounds. In the same bag was a gun that looked like a key fob, which contained two rounds of ammunition. Rodney's family claim the gun on the rear seat was planted after the shooting. |
| E7 denied firing indiscriminately. In an interview with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) he refused to answer 149 questions, but denied at the inquiry that he believed he was above the law. | E7 denied firing indiscriminately. In an interview with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) he refused to answer 149 questions, but denied at the inquiry that he believed he was above the law. |
| The inquiry heard that E7 had more than two decades of experience as a firearms expert, but he had been recommended for disciplinary action once for leaving his vehicle while on duty. In the 1980s he shot two men dead in an operation and wounded two other suspects. He was also disciplined after getting into a fracas while off duty at a nightclub. | The inquiry heard that E7 had more than two decades of experience as a firearms expert, but he had been recommended for disciplinary action once for leaving his vehicle while on duty. In the 1980s he shot two men dead in an operation and wounded two other suspects. He was also disciplined after getting into a fracas while off duty at a nightclub. |
| Rodney's family fought a seven-year battle for a full and public inquiry into his death. The authorities previously said this would not be possible because the intelligence used by law enforcement came from intercepts, of which disclosure to lawyers and the family was claimed to be unlawful. | Rodney's family fought a seven-year battle for a full and public inquiry into his death. The authorities previously said this would not be possible because the intelligence used by law enforcement came from intercepts, of which disclosure to lawyers and the family was claimed to be unlawful. |
| The Met police operation arose Customs and Excise passed on intelligence that a gang would stage an armed heist against Colombian drug pushers on the streets of London, and steal their class A drugs. It is understood the intelligence was developed through intercepts. | The Met police operation arose Customs and Excise passed on intelligence that a gang would stage an armed heist against Colombian drug pushers on the streets of London, and steal their class A drugs. It is understood the intelligence was developed through intercepts. |
| The Met decided against arresting the men before they were in possession of firearms because they would not have sufficient evidence to prosecute them. Internal police documents made public at the inquiry showed senior officers believed they needed to confront the gang once they were in possession of weapons to best reduce the danger to the public and to officers. One area of controversy was the decision to let the car drive through London after the suspects had taken possession of weapons. The venue for the so-called hard stop blocking manoeuvre was criticised, as it was crowded and potentially put members of the public at needless risk. | The Met decided against arresting the men before they were in possession of firearms because they would not have sufficient evidence to prosecute them. Internal police documents made public at the inquiry showed senior officers believed they needed to confront the gang once they were in possession of weapons to best reduce the danger to the public and to officers. One area of controversy was the decision to let the car drive through London after the suspects had taken possession of weapons. The venue for the so-called hard stop blocking manoeuvre was criticised, as it was crowded and potentially put members of the public at needless risk. |
| An investigation by the IPCC, led by the Crown Prosecution Service, decided there was no criminal case for police to answer. | An investigation by the IPCC, led by the Crown Prosecution Service, decided there was no criminal case for police to answer. |
| Thomas said his clients accepted that Rodney was not wholly innocent: "We do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died. Nor do we seek to portray him as an angel. But he was entitled to be apprehended; if there was evidence he was entitled to be charged. | Thomas said his clients accepted that Rodney was not wholly innocent: "We do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died. Nor do we seek to portray him as an angel. But he was entitled to be apprehended; if there was evidence he was entitled to be charged. |
| "The fact that he was strongly suspected of being involved in criminal wrongdoing does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed." | "The fact that he was strongly suspected of being involved in criminal wrongdoing does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed." |
| In a statement during which she broke down, Rodney's mother, Susan Alexander, contrasted her son's death seven years ago to the fate of two other men in the car, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham, who were later convicted of firearms offences. "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 during which she broke down, Rodney's mother, Susan Alexander, contrasted her son's death seven years ago to the fate of two other men in the car, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham, who were later convicted of firearms offences. "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. |
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