IPCC outlines investigation into a non-fatal shooting in Liverpool

9 Jun 2014 02:50 PM

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has set out the terms of its investigation into a non-fatal shooting in Liverpool.

On Thursday 22 May firearms officers from Merseyside Police attended a house on Shellingford Road, Dovecot after being called to reports that a man was holding a woman hostage and threatening her life.

Officers subsequently entered the property and a man was shot once in the left shoulder region and a Taser was discharged. He was taken to hospital and was initially in a serious condition but has subsequently been discharged.

IPCC investigators were deployed to the house and oversaw the examination of the scene and the post incident procedures involving the firearms officers, where first accounts were obtained from 25 officers. Further accounts were taken the following day from three senior officers who were involved in the police operation.

The IPCC’s independent investigation will look at whether the decision to shot the man was proportionate and justifiable, as well as the use of distraction devices and CS Gas when officers entered the property.

IPCC investigators have established that one shot was fired. They have secured the firearms officers’ weapons and accounted for the distraction devices and CS gas canisters.  Footage from the force helicopter has been collected.

The officers involved in the incident are being treated as significant witnesses and this will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.

IPCC Commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone, said:

"The public expect the highest standards of professionalism and judgement from police firearms officers, and our investigation will look at what happened when officers entered the property. As well as gathering evidence to see if any officer needs to be held to account, we will also see if there is any learning to help inform how the police respond to similar incidents in the future.”

++ A 47 year-old man has been charged with a number of offences in relation to the incident. He appeared at appeared at South Sefton Magistrates Court on Friday, 6 June 2014.