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CHARLES DE MENEZES MARKSMEN SHOOT MAN AT NEW ROMNEY

It has been reported in the Daily Mail today (2 November) that one of the police marksmen who killed unarmed Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes; the man mistaken for a suicide bomber at Stockwell Tube station in South London in July last year, has shot dead a suspected armed robber.

A man aged 42 was shot and died in hospital after an incident at an office of the Nationwide building society at New Romney around 8pm on Tuesday (31 October). 

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: "The firearms team involved in the Flying Squad operation in Kent did include officers from the same team who were involved in the Stockwell shooting in July last year. 

"The Met has a small cadre of specialist highly-trained firearms officers who last year were deployed to 2,529 incidents and are involved in 938 pre-planned operations. 

"They perform an extremely difficult but vital function responding to armed threats against the public and their unarmed colleagues and it is extremely rare for officers to fire their guns. 

"As is proper, the IPCC is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting. Their inquiries are ongoing but they have confirmed that a firearm was recovered at the scene. It is deeply regrettable when anyone dies as a result of police action."