Met officers "out of control" during Menezes shooting
Eyewitness claims officers appeared "out of control" during the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes
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Monday, 03, Nov 2008 12:28
An eyewitness to the shooting of Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes has claimed that Metropolitan police officers appeared "out of control" during the incident.
Speaking at the inquest into the death of the 27-year-old at Stockwell tube station in July 2005, Anna Dunwoodie said the armed officers gave off a "sense of panic" and issued no warning before shooting Mr de Menezes.
"I would like to say that on whether I heard anything from police officers, I am very, very clear. I had absolutely no idea who they were and had they shouted I would have latched on to that," she told the inquest on Monday.
Ms Dunwoodie, who was sitting three seats along from the Brazilian, added: "I think it was the man, who I now know to be a surveillance officer, [who] really seemed to be frightened or hyped up and when he was calling the other men they seemed... you know, when people are full of adrenalin and they move quickly and their movements are a bit jerky.
"I felt they were a bit out of control, that's what it felt like."
Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head on July 22nd 2005 after armed Met officers mistook him for failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman.
The inquest continues.