Call for 'safer' police weapons after James Fox shot dead in Enfield

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A coroner has suggested officers should carry weapons less likely to kill people following the fatal shooting of a mentally-ill man by police.

James Fox, 43, was hit five times after two Metropolitan Policeofficers opened fire as he opened the door of his flat in Enfield on August 30 last year.

Jurors at an inquest, held in September, found Mr Fox's death was lawful, adding the officers believed they needed to use force to defend themselves.

North London Coroner’s Court heard the two officers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shot Mr Fox as he raised a weapon towards them.

At a further hearing today, coroner Andrew Walker raised the issue of the spread and number of shots fired as he received submissions from legal representatives for the Fox family and Met Police. 

Barrister Matthew Butt, for the police force, said it would be an "unfair premise" to assume firearms officers were "poor shots", telling the court some of the circumstances of Mr Fox's death were "impossible to train for".

However, the coroner queried whether another sort of weapon could be made available that would be less likely to result in small, yet deadly, wounds.

He said: "The difficulty here is, should there be consideration at these close ranges of another sort of firearm that does not cause small, penetrating injuries but (rather) uses a larger projectile to knock a person to the ground?

"I can't imagine that in this day and age, it would not be possible to produce a large-calibre, reliable, short-range weapon that was capable of incapacitating a person."

Mr Butt said there was no such device at present that came close to meeting the required standard but acknowledged "everyone wants to avoid a situation like this".

Barrister Owen Greenhall, for the family, told the court that officers needed more specific training to prepare them to deal with "unexpected confrontation".

He added the late man's family also had concerns about the "practical availability" of heavy or two-handed shields used by officers. 

The coroner indicated he would compile a preventing future deaths report, including finalised recommendations, to be disseminated to parties at a later date.

Speaking after the initial hearing, Commander Matt Twist, in charge of armed policing, said on behalf of the Met: “The officers had seconds to act when Mr Fox opened his front door and pointed what looked like a gun at them. 

“No police officer wants to take someone's life. We ask our armed officers, and indeed expect them, to make split second decisions, in some of the most complex, fast moving and dangerous situations, to protect the public, their colleagues and themselves.

"All of our firearms officers are experienced police officers who volunteer for the additional responsibility and immense scrutiny that comes with carrying a gun.”