07 May 2023 , 21:24
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Harrowing footage shows the moment police officers Tasered a man and shot his two dogs dead in front of horrified witnesses.
Several Metropolitan Police officers initially appear to follow the man, who is holding both dogs tightly on a lead, past a block of London flats by a canal.
One officer is heard saying "We need to assess your dogs and assess you," while the dogs bark loudly.
But the situation in Limehouse quickly develops into a heated confrontation in which both animals are shot dead, footage of which the Mirror Online has chosen not to publish.
Met Police say the dogs had attacked a woman prior to the incident, and became aggressive.
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The footage was shared to a shocked response on Twitter (@mariaalcoptia/Twitter)
The confrontation happened in Limehouse, east London, today (@mariaalcoptia/Twitter)One witness, who recorded the footage today at around 5.30pm and asked to be called MB, told Mirror Online she saw blood seep out of the dogs at the canalside.
The 25-year-old woman said: "It didn't seem proportionate. It is beyond belief.
"It was so shocking. I didn't realise it was a proper gun until the dogs were just lying completely out on the ground. There was blood coming out of them.
"I've never seen anything like that. You hear of these things happening in America but not here. Whatever had happened, it's not an excuse for it to end like that.
"Some of the other neighbours were shouting 'it's disgusting' and 'we're not in America'."
The man, whom MB believes may have been homeless, can be heard pleading with several officers as well as swearing at them. He is seen holding both dogs back before releasing them, at which point one dog is shot dead.
The witness spoke of her shock to see the confrontation (@mariaalcoptia/Twitter)The second dog is shot in a second short clip, both posted to Twitter by the same user.
"He was traumatised. He said 'you might as well kill me,' to the officers afterwards," MB, who was born and raised in London, said.
"There were a lot of officers. There must have been six surrounding him and the dogs alone. When you need a police officer, sometimes you don't get help or have to wait.
"The man had a rough look about him so it may be me making assumptions, but he looked rough and might have been homeless. I had never seen him in the area before."
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A spokesperson for Met Police said: "Police were called just after 17.00hrs on Sunday May 7, to a woman being attacked by a dog in Commercial Road.
"Officers attended the location where the aggressive behaviour of two dogs was of considerable concern and posed a significant threat to them.
"A man was arrested in connection with the incident for having a dog dangerously out of control and assault offences. He has been taken into police custody. A Taser was discharged by police.
"No person was taken to hospital. Both dogs were destroyed by police at the scene. This is never an easy decision for any officer to take, but police have a duty to act where necessary before any further injury is caused.
"The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards will review the circumstances of the incident."