AFO SHOT DEAD WHILE TRAINING

It was bound to happen sooner or later. After years of near misses, some of which I've blogged about, an armed police officer has been shot dead while taking part in a training exercise .

As it happens, the incident took place in a warehouse in Newton Heath, Manchester, not far from where I live. Media reports are sketchy at the moment, but it seems this guy was shot in the chest, whether by himself or one of the other officers is unknown to me at this time. The warehouse is apparently a regular venue for police training exercises. The exact nature of this exercise hasn't been disclosed yet. It could have been a session on a shooting range, but as far as I know the cops use facilities in Openshaw for that. If it was more of a tactical exercise, the presence of live ammo on the premises sounds strange - and you'd also expect the officers taking part to be wearing body armour. However it has been a hot day in Manchester, which might well explain - if not excuse - the lack of armour on this occasion (assuming he wasn't wearing his armour of course - bulletproof vests aren't totally bulletproof). Certainly someone has seriously messed up this time - whatever the full facts of the case are, it's almost undeniable that a gun was loaded with live ammo, pointed at a human being, and then fired - a negligent discharge, which the police seem prone too, this time with fatal consequences. The only other explanation I can think of would be a freak ricochet on a range, but this doesn't sound like a firing range situation to me. I'm going to keep an eye on the local papers and see what other information comes to light.

Maybe now the incompetents who run the police force will get it into their heads that there are serious issues surrounding the training - and frankly the recruitment - of Authorised Firearms Officers.

 
9.6.08 20:27
 


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