30 January 2024 , 16:45
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Locals were rendered terrified after police shot a man with a crossbow after he allegedly attempted to break into a property.
Upon spotting the armed individual, residents contacted the police, who arrived in the Surrey Quays area of southeast London, where they caught the man inside the premises he'd been attempting to get inside. At 5am, the officers shot and killed the man, who was believed to be armed with several different weapons.
The man, who was reportedly in his 30s, was swiftly given First Aid. However, his injuries were too severe, and he died at the scene. A large police cordon subsequently surrounded the estate, where the man was allegedly threatening civilians.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation after the shooting, as is standard practice, and a forensics team has arrived at the scene.
The man was shot dead after breaking into a home (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)The shooting left locals living on the estate deeply upset, and a window with a hole in it was visible from their homes. One man, who lives in the area with his adoring partner and newborn baby, said: “I was surprised that I didn’t hear anything, as I was up from 4.30am with the baby.
“It’s a shock, I’ll admit. I’ve only lived here about two years, but it’s the first time I’ve heard of something like this happening around here. It does make you feel unsafe, but you have to accept these kinds of things do happen in London. I guess there’s nowhere you can go, and be completely sure you won’t encounter this kind of stuff.”
A local in his 60s added: "I hadn’t heard until I read the news this morning. It feels strange, it happening so close by to where you live - where you call home.” In addition, a woman who heard the sound of police sirens said: “It always feels quite safe around here, so it’s very shocking. But I guess it shows you that this kind of thing can happen anywhere. Sadly, you hear about these things more and more these days.”
The incident has scared the local residents (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)Local police officers arrived at the scene and tried to engage in a conversation with the man, the force said. They reportedly failed to get through to him, with the man allegedly threatening them rather than standing down. At that point, the specialist firearms officers were called and delivered a fatal shot. Two occupants in the house also sustained minor injuries.
Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, who is responsible for policing in the area, said: “My thoughts are with all those affected by this incident. I understand the local community will be concerned at the events that have taken place this morning. We will fully support the IOPC investigation into the full circumstances of what happened."