Brighton street shooting – 'lawful killing' by police

A man shot dead by police in a street in Brighton was lawfully killed, an inquest jury has concluded.

The inquest into the death of Michael Fitzpatrick has returned a unanimous verdict of lawful killing at Brighton Magistrates' Court today, Friday 3 February.

Michael Fitzpatrick, 49, who was believed to be living in the Brighton area, was shot by armed officers in Rock Place, Brighton, on Thursday 10 February, 2011. As part of a pre-planned operation the officers were attempting to arrest him on suspicion of committing a series of armed robberies in Burgess Hill.

He was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. The jury concluded that the cause of death was due to gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.

Her Majesty's Coroner for Brighton and Hove, Veronica Hamilton-Deeley, and the jury extended their sympathies to Mr Fitzpatrick's family and the officers involved. They specifically praised the immediate medical care provided by the firearms officers, describing it as exemplary.

Following the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney said: "My thoughts are with the family and friends of Michael Fitzpatick today at what is undoubtedly a very difficult time.

"The decision made by officers that day is one of the most profoundly difficult decisions an officer may face in their career. As heard during the inquest, the officers had just three seconds to take action to protect themselves and members of the public against the visible threat of a firearm.

"Firearms officers are highly trained and the use of lethal force is seen as a last resort to protect the public or themselves. Any decision to use that high level of force will weigh heavily on those officers' minds.

"We have fully supported the Coroner's inquest and an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation into Michael Fitzpatrick's death, providing documents and witnesses to help determine the cause of death and the circumstances in which he died."