General Chat

Gwynne, I believe, according to a newspaper report from the police, the team have been relieved of their 'armed' duties and are distraught over the shooting of an innocent man. Ann Glos

Roxanne, I take it you didn't see his grandmother speaking on the News. His grandmother is utterly distraught, there is no doubt that her grief is genuine. She wasn't talking about compensation she was talking about her loss. Other family members are angry as well as grieving and hitting out in all directions, understandably, I think. Gwynne

Were the police in uniforrm? ann Glos

No, they were in plain clothes. M.

The police were wearing jeans and jackets/shirts - plain clothes according to the reports on the BBC. It cannot be justifiable homicide if the man isn't guilty of anything other than having an out of date visa. Accidental death is the most likely, I guess. Gwynne

Emmybaby, The man lived in a flat in the same block as an address found by police in papers in one of the bombs that failed to explode. He was on his way to work. The police themselves have said he was entirely innocent of any connection with the bombers and that it was a tragic mistake. Gwynne

I think this incident proves what many have been saying for a long time. The Government of this country needs to take far greater control of its borders and its immigration system. I regret very much that an innocent man has lost his life, but he knew he had been breaking the law by staying here, which was why he ran. As others have said on this thread, if he had returned to his homeland when he should have, he would never have been under suspicion in London and would probably still be alive today. That doesn't account for his being shot, of course, but it was a significant factor. As far as his knowledge of English goes - it concerns me that someone who doesn't understand 'STOP - POLICE!' being shouted at him several times should have been working as an electrician. There are new Regulations now governing electrical installations. Before he took on work of this kind, should he not have had some kind of qualification that proved he knew English well enough to be able to follow instructions relating to electrical installations? Is this another area where our Government is cutting corners? CB >|<

On the lunchtime news it was reported that he had had two sets of tools stolen recently and believed someone was out to get him. Maybe he thought the police were the people out to get him as they weren't in uniform. And I repeat if those giving the orders believed he was a bomber why did they let him ride on 2 buses before trying to stop him? Gwynne

Ann from Glos. Why did they let him get on a bus...........good question, possibly to see where he was going? I was stopped by a police van one evening about 1030pm. it had caught me up,(on a narrowed carriageway) and thinking they wanted to come by, moved over, but no, they stayed behind. I stopped at a roundabout, they followed, went round three other roundabouts, a left turn, then a right turn, THEN they stopped me,( a distance of about 2 1/2 miles in all) 200 yards from my home.They now knew who I was and where I was going....Home. They addressed me by name.then accused me of driving erratically, apparently I had crossed the white line at the side of the road( when I expected them to pass), of course now they had stopped me they could breathalise me.....What a ploy!!! Bob I passed it...hadnt been drinking, but they tried anyway......

I guess that everyone here would feel a little different if it was one of their friends or relatives who had been shot. You have to have compassion for his family. Arthur, i agree with you. Ann Glos

Here we go again with wild speculation based on nothing much and newspaper reports and broad judgments based on little or nothing. Like it or not, we DON'T know what really happened or what the FULL situation is, nor do we know for certain WHAT we would actually do in any given situtation. I agree with Nell that it's a tragedy for ALL concerned, and also say that nothing is to be gained by speculation, finger-pointing and blame and insinuating all sorts of other potential wrong-doing and misdeeds. None of us lead perfect lives. Now people are outraged because the dead man's family is not merging into the background quietly saying 'what did he expect, it serves him right'. Did anyone really expect that? The police may have had the 'right' to shoot, but the family have the 'right' not to be happy about it.

It's hardly wild speculation to quote what police sources are saying. Gwynne

I agree with you Felicity and if anyone is really to blame for this man's death it is the terrorists who started this whole thing. His blood is on their hands! Julie xxx

Some people, for whatever reason, would like to get out of the way of a pointed gun and don't stop to think about who is waving it or trust what is being yelled at them. There isn't a 'right' or 'wrong' way to behave in that situation, there's only what happens. So many people have said that the police had only a split-second to make up their minds what to do - so did the man they shot. The punishment for being an illegal immigrant is deportation, not firing squad. Gwynne, I take your point, but police sources are only part of the information in the public domain.

Felicity Well said! nell

agree with you Felicity,especially if you know the area is notorious for robbery and you have already had tools stolen twice. Ann Glos

It's just all very sad.

The firing squad comment was fatuous and completely uncalled for. The man was NOT stood against a wall and executed for living in Britain on an out of date visa. Comments like that are hardly helpful and display an ignorance of the situation of staggering proportions. The British police have high standards.

Would just like to add that apparently, according to the opening of the Coroner's Inquest today, the chap was shot 8 (yes 8) times not 5 as previously reported. I do think that 8 bullets in one chap is 'over kill' if you will pardon the expression, and totally unnecesary. I am unsure why the guy acted the way he did, perhaps the police in Brazil had left him with a legacy of fear - we have all heard the stories of the latin-american 'police' forces and government troops. It is a great shame that he was shot and an even greater shame that the buggers who carried out the bombings will likely get their nuckles rapped and life imprisonment at HM's pleasure - board and lodgings provided. Jacqui

I'm sorry if my comment was emotive - does it sound any better if I change 'firing squad' to 'shooting'? I was responding to the suggestion that because he was an illegal immigrant, or had commited some other crime, he was wrong to run, and it was right that he was shot. Lots of people have strong opinions about this whole sorry situation. Some seem to be saying that the only 'valid' ones are those that see things in very black and white terms and accept no shades of grey. Telling me that I have an 'ignorance of the situation of staggering proportions' is insulting for reasons that I'm not prepared to explain. What a pity that these interesting and necessary debates continue to get personal and vindictive.