Kilburn shooting: Man shot by police after shrugging off Taser during 'disturbance with knife'

Police shooting: the scene in Kilburn after the incident
Glenn Copus
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A man was shot by police early today after officers fired a Taser stun gun at the suspect at least twice with "no apparent effect".

Witnesses said marksmen opened fire as the man, who was holding a knife, advanced towards police.

Police said the man was first confronted as he brandished a knife in a street near Queen’s Park Underground station in Brent.

Unarmed officers tried to detain him in Claremont Road after they were called to reports of a disturbance but he ran off and was chased by officers into Kilburn Lane.

Onlookers at the scene in Kilburn Glenn Copus
Glenn Copus

As police again confronted the knifeman, officers fired a Taser stun gun at him but with no effect.

Firearms officers who had been called to the scene also discharged a Taser at about 3am today before one officer fired a shot at the man.

Scotland Yard said this morning it did not know the extent of the man’s injuries. The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it had launched an inquiry and investigators were travelling to the scene and the hospital this morning.

Witnesses today told of the moments before and after the man was shot at the junction between Kilburn Lane, Fifth Avenue and Oliphant Street.

A woman who lives on Oliphant Street said: “I heard a commotion outside so I looked out and I saw the man advancing towards the police.

"He had something in his hand, like a weapon, and I think he was shouting something at them.

“He just started advancing towards the police and it looked as if he was going for them. I went inside because it looked terrifying, then I heard a shot, it was like a loud bang.

“Then when I next looked the man was on the floor and there were about 15 police all over the street.”

Another resident, who gave his name as Massimo, 37, said: “I heard a loud noise, which sounded like a big bang, which woke me up and I looked out of the window and I saw two policeman. The guy was lying on the floor and not moving. The policemen were standing over him. I didn’t want to keep looking, but later there police everywhere.”

Richard Dean, 61, who lives on Fifth Avenue, said: “At about 3am I just heard this guy screaming a and then a loud bang which is obviously when they shot him. He wasn’t really saying anything, just screaming. He must have been screaming at police for about 20 or 30 seconds.”

Residents in Claremont Road told how the commotion began there at about 2.45am at a three-storey terraced house next to Queen’s Park station. They said the house, which police were guarding this morning, is sheltered housing for ex-prisoners and people with mental health problems.

Andre Camara, 46, said: “We spoke to one policeman this morning and he said that there was a guy with knives who had been on the loose.”

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