Shooting said to be justified

Police officers, who drew their weapons and shot out a car tyre to prevent a suspect escaping, have been cleared by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
Armed officers deployed specialist tyre deflation rounds to disable the suspects car.Armed officers deployed specialist tyre deflation rounds to disable the suspects car.
Armed officers deployed specialist tyre deflation rounds to disable the suspects car.

The report, which fails to name any of the parties involved, states officers were justified in using firearms to shoot the tyres of a car which had rammed a police vehicle in Carfin in an attempt to escape. The car contained a suspect with a history of violence.

The incident happened in April 2017 in Thorndene Avenue, in the North Lanarkshire village, when a 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with alleged firearms offences, while a 38-year-old man was charged with drugs offences.

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The findings were submitted to the Deputy Chief Constable of Police Scotland in October 2017 and can now be published after outstanding criminal proceedings were concluded at the High Court in Glasgow.

The Commissioner, Kate Frame, commented: “The police had reliable intelligence they were dealing with a suspect who had a history of violence and access to firearms.

“They also had information he was planning to carry out an act of serious violence that day and therefore posed a high risk to the public and the police.

“Taking all this into account, when the car was used to ram the police vehicle the firearms officers were justified in using Tyre Deflation Rounds to disable the car.”