Firearms officer used excessive force in fatal shooting of unarmed man in London, misconduct hearing told

"The officer, known only as W80, killed Jermaine Baker, from Tottenham, north London, during an operation to interrupt a criminal plot to snatch Izzet Eren, the head of the Tottenham Turks organised crime group, from a van heading towards Wood Green crown court in December 2015. Officer W80, who denies the charges of gross misconduct, had been told before the operation that he should expect those involved in the scheme to be armed and dangerous, the hearing heard."

"It is accepted that the officer honestly believed that his life and that of his colleagues in the operation were in danger but the case is being pursued on the grounds that it was not reasonable for him to come to this view. It is claimed that officers shouted for those in the car to raise their hands and that officer W80 shot Baker when his left hand was at the level of his neck."

"The officer said Baker's hands moved quickly up towards his chest area seemingly towards a bag strapped to the upper part of his body, leading him to fear that he was reaching for a firearm. He was wearing a shoulder type bag high in the area of his chest, the officer wrote in his statement. I was focused on his hands. This quick movement of his hands and his failure to put his hands on the dash and to obviously surrender made me believe he was going for a gun."

Jermaine Baker, 28, was shot dead by a firearms officer known as W80 during an operation to foil a plot to snatch gang leader Izzet Eren from a van en route to Wood Green Crown Court in December 2015. Officer W80 shot Baker at close range while Baker sat in the front passenger seat of a stolen Audi A6. Baker was later found to be unarmed, although a replica submachine gun was discovered in the rear footwell. Officer W80 had been warned suspects might be armed and dangerous and stated he shouted warnings and saw Baker move his hands toward a high shoulder bag near his chest, fearing he was reaching for a firearm. The officer maintains he honestly believed there was a threat, but the case alleges that that belief was not reasonable.

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