In a recent Channel 4 documentary, one of the Metropolitan police officers involved in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in 2005 has spoken out for the first time. The officer, known as C12, justified his actions by stating that he believed De Menezes was a suicide bomber who posed an imminent threat.
C12 explained that he had only 10 seconds to make a decision based on a grainy picture of the terrorism suspect. He had never fired his weapon at a suspect before that fateful day. When De Menezes entered Stockwell tube station, armed police received the order to stop him from getting on the tube. However, by the time they reached the platform, De Menezes was already seated in a train.
According to C12, when he confronted De Menezes, he believed he had been positively identified as a suicide bomber and that he had the authorization to use lethal force. Despite the jury at the inquest not accepting that C12 shouted “armed police” or that De Menezes moved towards the officers, C12 maintained that he felt an imminent threat of a bomb detonation.
In a tense moment, C12 described how he believed De Menezes was about to detonate a bomb and felt that he had to take action to protect himself and his colleagues. He recalled the deafening silence after the shots were fired and the sense of relief that they had prevented a potential explosion.
The Metropolitan police expressed deep regret over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, emphasizing that no officer intends to end a life while on duty. They reiterated their apology to the family of De Menezes and stated that their primary goal is the protection and preservation of life. The Met has taken extensive measures to address the causes of the tragedy and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The operation that led to the shooting of De Menezes was overseen by Cressida Dick, who later became the Met commissioner. The Met faced prosecution for breaching health and safety laws, resulting in a guilty verdict and a fine of £175,000 plus £385,000 in costs. Despite the jury returning an open verdict on De Menezes’s death and rejecting the police’s claim of lawful killing, the coroner did not allow them to consider unlawful killing as a verdict.
The case of Jean Charles de Menezes remains a controversial and tragic event that raised questions about police procedures and the use of lethal force in high-pressure situations. It serves as a reminder of the complex challenges faced by law enforcement officers in ensuring public safety while upholding individual rights and preserving life.
