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The IPCC investigation following the fatal shooting of James Fox by Metropolitan Police (MPS) officers has found no case to answer against any officer and the report has been published following the conclusion of an inquest

Mr Fox, 43, and from Enfield, was fatally shot at his home on 30th August 2015 after police had responded to a 101 call from Mr Fox’s step-mother that he had threatened her and his niece with a “long barrelled pistol”.

Officers from the MPS Specialist Firearms Command located Mr Fox at his home address at Picardy House in Enfield. Five officers entered the building and approached Mr Fox’s flat. Body-worn video footage from the officers shows Mr Fox pointing an object resembling a firearm towards the officers. Two officers fired a total of five shots all of which hit Mr Fox.

Officers commenced first aid immediately at the scene until paramedics arrived but Mr Fox’s injuries were declared “incompatible with life” at 11:58pm. At a HM Coroner inquest recently, a jury returned a finding of lawful killing.

The IPCC investigation examined the actions of the two officers who fired the fatal shots and the tactics, strategy and information the MPS used to respond to the allegations against Mr Fox.

The investigation found that both officers were entitled to believe there was an immediate threat to life and were justified in their decision to fire their weapons. Given the speed the incident occurred at, the IPCC investigator was of the opinion that no other tactics could have been considered by the officers.

A non-police firearm discovered at the scene of the shooting was identified as a Westlake barrel-cocking air pistol.

The investigation also concluded that the decision to declare a firearms incident was justified, the strategies in the initial search for Mr Fox were appropriate and that overall the tactics used by the MPS were sound.

IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts said recently:

“Following today’s verdict, my thoughts are with Mr Fox’s family and friends. This was a tragic case for all concerned but ourinvestigation has found that neither the officers’ actions nor the tactics of the MPS were at fault here.

“This case is also notable for the positive use of body worn video which resulted in the incident being captured from two perspectives, capturing the officers’ efforts to save Mr Fox’s life and providing an impartial account that corroborated the officers’ accounts of what happened that night.”