independent.co.uk
2005 London Shooting: Officer Speaks Out
Firearms officer involved in the 2005 shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes speaks out for the first time, revealing his state of mind and lack of intent to meet the victim's family.
English
United Kingdom
Human Rights ViolationsUkTerrorismAccountabilityPolice BrutalityTragedyMistaken Identity
Metropolitan PoliceIndependent Police Complaints Commission (Ipcc)Channel 4
Jean Charles De MenezesC12Hussein OsmanCressida DickMartyn Blake
- Who was Jean Charles de Menezes and what happened to him?
- Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old Brazilian electrician, was mistakenly shot and killed by a firearms officer at Stockwell Underground station in 2005.
- What were the consequences of the shooting for the Metropolitan Police?
- The incident sparked a major crisis in British policing, leading to a £560,000 fine for the Metropolitan Police for endangering the public. The Met Police issued an apology, stating that no officer intends to end a life.
- What did the firearms officer involved, C12, say in the new documentary?
- The firearms officer, identified as C12, stated in a new documentary that he was "100 per cent convinced" de Menezes was a suicide bomber and that he would never want to meet de Menezes' family.
- What was the context surrounding the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes?
- The shooting followed a failed attempt by four men to detonate bombs on London's transport system. The officer was instructed to stop de Menezes from boarding a tube train using the codeword "state red, state red."
- How did the firearms officer, C12, describe his feelings and experiences after the shooting?
- C12 described the incident as a "weeping sore", highlighting the constant worry and stress caused by the incident, while also acknowledging that de Menezes' family were the real victims.