Southwark: Man shot dead by police after threatening people in London had crossbows, knife, sword, hatchet

The man who was armed with a crossbow and was shot dead by police in southeast London was also carrying a knife, a sword, and a hatchet. According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, two shots were fired from a police firearm after officers unsuccessfully tried to speak to the suspect.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to a home in Bywater Place, Southwark at around 4.55am today (January 30). The force received a report of a man, believed to be in his 30s, attempting to break into the property.

The watchdog said they believe the man was known to at least one of the occupants at the address. The suspect, who was wearing body armour, was taken outside the property and given first aid but died at the scene.

Regional director Mel Palmer said: “Our thoughts are with all of those affected by this tragic incident. The man’s next of kin have been informed and, in due course, we will be contacting them to explain our role. We will keep them regularly updated throughout our investigation.

“Given a man has died after being shot by police, our role is to independently investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this incident including the actions and decisions taken by the police. “We appreciate that the community will want answers quickly and our investigators are working hard to establish the facts and piece together what occurred.”

HM Coroner has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to take place, while a detailed search of the scene continues with house-to-house enquiries in the neighbourhood.