Friday, July 22, 2005
London Metropolitan Police have confirmed that armed police officers shot and killed a man at Stockwell Underground station just after 10 a.m. BST this morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of London Metropolitan, told a press conference this afternoon that the man was challenged by police officers (not in uniform) but refused to follow instructions. Some witnesses claim he did not appear to be carrying any arms, but wore a heavy coat that may have concealed a weapon. One passenger, Anthony Larkin, said the man appeared to be wearing a “bomb belt”.
Mark Whitby, apparently the closest eye witness said; “He half-tripped, was half-pushed to the floor. The policeman nearest to me had the black automatic pistol in his left hand, he held it down to the guy and unloaded five shots into him.”
Police have revealed that the shooting was connected with yesterday’s attempted attacks, but but have not confirmed him to be one of the four bombing suspects. Police sources have indicated that the man who was shot had been followed covertly, and after he was confronted he ran off and was followed on foot by up to twenty police from street level into the Underground station.
London Underground suspended some services on the Victoria and Northern lines, citing a request by the police. The Northern line was then completely suspended for a short time mid-afternoon after a security alert at Mornington Crescent Station.
The London Ambulance Service have dispatched ambulances and the air ambulance to the scene. The Metropolitan Police have cordoned off a 200 metre perimeter around the station.