Croydon police officer shot dead in station.
A police officer has been shot dead by a suspect at Croydon police station. The gunman then tried to commit suicide at the scene.
The incident occurred at 2am this morning at the Croydon Custody Centre. It is understood that the suspect was being put in custody at the station for possession of ammunition. No police firearms were used to subdue the suspect. The incident is set to be investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Both the officer shot and the gunman were taken to hospital in an effort to save their lives. The police officer has unfortunately already been confirmed as dead, the gunman remains in a critical condition.
The Metropolitan Police released a statement saying: “We are in the process of informing all of the officer’s family and are supporting them with specialist officers.” The name of the officer killed is unknown at the current stage although it is likely that his identity will be revealed later on today.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, also released a statement on the incident: “I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn that a Metropolitan Police Officer has been shot and killed in the line of duty. My thoughts today are with his family, friends and policing colleagues in London and across the country. This morning I spoke to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick to express my condolences and to offer whatever support is needed as this tragic event is investigated. This is a sad day for our country and another terrible reminder of how our police officers put themselves in danger each and every day to keep the rest of us safe.”
On the matter, Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which one of our colleagues has lost his life in the most tragic circumstances. My heart goes out to his family, direct colleagues and friends. We are currently supporting his family and also have a dedicated team providing support to the officers and those in the custody centre who witnessed the shooting. When a colleague dies in the line of duty the shockwaves and sadness reverberates throughout the Met and our communities. Policing is a family, within London and nationally, and we will all deeply mourn our colleague. We are in the early stages of the investigation and are still working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and we will provide further updates when we have them.”
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