An investigation into the shooting of a man in Whitehall is examining his health records as it tries to establish why he might have allegedly been carrying two knives.
The man was shot dead on Sunday evening and the Metropolitan police said the incident was not being treated as terrorism, after an assessment by their counter-terrorism command.
The Met said the man was acting suspiciously when officers came across him and challenged him just before 11.30pm on Sunday.
On Monday morning, it emerged that officers from two forces were involved – the Met, which covers almost all of London, and the City of London police, who cover the capital’s financial district and whose firearms officers will attend incidents in the Met’s area if they can get there first.
The Met said: “Officers challenged the man, who produced two knives.”
It is understand he was first fired upon with an electric stun gun. Officers present believed the man still presented a threat to the lives of themselves or others, and he was shot by a firearms officer.
The man later died from gunshot wounds.
The Met said the incident happened in Great Scotland Yard, an area at the northern end of Whitehall, which is full of government and official buildings, and close to Trafalgar Square.
The force tweeted: “A man has been shot dead by officers following an incident in #Westminster at 23.27hrs on Sunday 8 March. This is NOT being treated as a terrorist incident.”
The man was declared dead at the scene a short time later after attempts to save his life failed. Police firearms officers are trained to give first aid after they have opened fire.
The Met said no police officers or members of the public were injured.
Under the law in England and Wales, any shooting by the police has to be independently investigated by the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
In a statement, the IOPC said the incident involved officers from the Met and City of London forces: “At this early stage it is believed a man has been fatally shot during the police response to reports of a man carrying knives and acting suspiciously. Our thoughts and sympathies are with all of those affected by this terrible incident.
“It is mandatory for us to conduct an independent investigation when the police fatally shoot a member of the public. We have established protocols with the police to ensure our investigations do not hinder their ability to conduct inquiries as part of their related investigations.”
The IOPC investigation continues.
The officers involved, having given a short initial account after the incident, will give a full account within 48 hours.
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