Jury return Lawful Killing conclusion at fatal police shooting inquest

A jury at Westminster Coroner’s Court concluded last week that Hassan Yahya was lawfully killed when he was shot by a police officer on the 8^th March 2020 in Central London.

On the night of his death, Mr. Yahya first came into contact with the police when two officers from the Ministry of Defence Police noticed that he was walking around the Southbank area carrying two large knives. He was challenged and an attempt to taser him was made. Mr. Yahya then ran away from officers, over Hungerford Bridge and into Westminster. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service provided tactical firearms advice and four officers made attempts to stop Mr. Yahya as he was travelling north, towards Trafalgar Square. One officer discharged their taser, and another officer armed only with a baton also gave chase.

Officers from the City of London Police apprehended Mr. Yahya in Great Scotland Yard. In his final moments, Mr. Yahya stepped towards a City of London Police officer with one arm raised, still holding both knives. A single shot was fired. The jury concluded that in doing so, the officer had acted lawfully, in self-defence.

The jury also concluded that Mr. Yahya’s actions were likely influenced by the fact that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time. Mr. Yahya’s identity was unknown to police until after his death, and therefore there was no available information about his health during his interactions with police on the 8^th March 2020.

Fiona Barton KC and Amy Clarke represented City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police Service respectively.

Read more here:  BBC news

5 Essex Chambers is a specialist set for inquests and public inquiries, particularly those involving national security, terrorism, policing, and the legal system.

---

Related barristers

Fiona Barton KC

Call 1986 | Silk 2011

Amy Clarke

Call 2010

Related areas

Inquests

---

Police Law

---