Tuesday, 17 July, 2001, 21:50 GMT 22:50 UK
Calm urged after Brixton shooting

The man had a replica gun cigarette lighter
Police urged people in Brixton to remain calm
as demonstrators gathered following the fatal
shooting of a man armed with an imitation gun.

A black man, thought to be in his 30s, was
shot six times on Monday by armed response
officers while pointing an imitation gun
cigarette lighter at a hostage in Brixton.

It was the second fatal police shooting in a
week, following the death of a schizophrenic
man who was shot while wielding a samurai
sword in a Liverpool street.

The chairman of community civil rights group
Movement for Justice, which is based in
Brixton, planned a demonstration on Tuesday
evening at Lambeth town hall to demand the
policemen responsible for the killing are
"brought to justice".


The demonstration was
to coincide with the
annual meeting of
Lambeth Police
Consultative Group,
which was attended by
police.

Alex Owolade, a Unison
representative who
works for Lambeth
council, said: "We want
to organise militant
demonstrations and
protests to get those police responsible
brought to justice.

"We are calling people to come out and protest
and show the authorities we are not prepared
to accept this."

Mr Owolade said that he would advocate
people "defending themselves" if police
intervened.

Inquiries ordered

"We must take the matter into our own hands.
We can't wait for the authorities to do another
whitewash job."

Separate inquiries have been launched by the
police into the two shooting incidents.

Both firearms officers involved in the Brixton
incident are to receive post trauma support
and counselling.

Molly Meacher, deputy chair of the Police
Complaints Authority said: "The most important
point about the investigation (into the London
shooting) is that it should be entirely
independent and it should have the confidence
of the people in Brixton and the family of the
man who has died."


Home Secretary David
Blunkett said on
Tuesday that the Home
Office needed to work
with senior officers to
avoid similar incidents.

The home secretary
said he would not
comment on the individual cases, but stressed
that he wanted to examine possible
alternatives to the use of firearms.

Mr Blunkett said: "We are looking at
alternatives and we will want to come forward
with the chief constables to avoid incidents of
this sort.

"We need a proportionate response to the
particular nature of threat that is being
offered.

Non-lethal alternative

"That needs to be done carefully, not on the
back of individual cases."

He added: "I'm pleased that these two cases'
referral was made immediately because that
has not always been the case."

Deputy assistant commissioner of the
Metropolitan Police Tim Godwin defended the
use of guns by officers.

"I think there are always serious concerns
about the use of firearms with police because
we are an unarmed civilian service.

"It is with great regret that we have to use
firearms in specific situations.

"It's a sad reality of life that we have to have
the capacity to respond with firearms."

Public confidence

Rules for the use and deployment of firearms
are drawn up by the Association of Chief Police
Officers (ACPO).

Last week Andrew Kernan, 37, was shot dead
as he refused to put down a Samurai sword he
was brandishing in Wavertree, Liverpool.

Police want to hear from anyone who
witnessed the incident in Brixton or who has
information that would help the investigation.
Contact 020 7326 1212.

Wednesday July 18, 06:41 AM
Call For Justice Over Shot 'Lighter' Man

Angry members of the public have called for the police officers who shot dead a man
carrying a novelty cigarette lighter to be brought to trial.The protesters made their
views known at a public meeting in London last night organised by the Community
Police Consultative Group for Lambeth to discuss the event.

The man, who was in his 30s and of Rastafarian appearance, was pronounced dead in
hospital after being shot in Brixton. He has not been named because police have not
yet been able contact all his next of kin.

'Not fooled'

Witnesses claimed the man had threatened two others with what looked like a
handgun but was actually a lighter. He was said to have been challenged by the police
to put down his 'weapon' and was then shot.

Alex Owolade, of the Movement for Justice, told the meeting: "We have got to send a
message from here tonight that we're not going to be fooled. We want action now. We
want justice and we will get it by any means necesssary."

But Bob Broadhurst, chief superintendent for the Lambeth area, appealed for people
to remain calm until the full facts were known.

'All committed'

An investigation into the incident is being carried out by the Police Complaints
Authority. Molly Meacher, of the PCA, said: "We cannot judge what has happened or
who is guilty until we have an investigation. Believe me, we are all committed to take this forward."

The meeting came as Home Secretary David Blunkett pledged to consider alternatives to arming police with
guns after two deaths by officers - including another of a man wielding a sword on Merseyside.

He said a "proportionate response" was needed - but he would not comment on specific cases. One possibility
being considered is tranquiliser guns.

on 'non-lethal' alternatives. these non-lethal alternatives (the main contender being tranquilizer darts) may sound like a viable alternative. it may sound like a welcome step away from the present situation, allowing the police to stop people without the need for firearms, a liberalizing of police control methods almost. but in my opinion this situation will be abused by mr. blunkett and the police, i would not be suprised if soon after they are implemented the situations in which they are permitted to be used quickly spreads from stopping a person who is posing a threat to others, to stopping anybody who commits a violent crime and then all the way down a slippery slope to being just another method of government control. on mayday 2015 do not be suprised if your comerades start collapsing around you after being shot in the arse with a tranquilizer dart. im not saying that trying to find an alternative is a bad idea, im just saying be wary. make sure the government doesnt abuse the situation and get us tighter under their grip.