Lawyer shooting shotgun on London street killed by police.

jody

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Sun May-11-08 03:20 PM
Original message

Lawyer shooting shotgun on London street killed by police.

What drove Mark Saunders to pick up a shotgun?

Was this the moment that sealed Saunders�s fate? The barrister had fired on a police officer. He was known to have served in the Territorial Army. A gunman with military training would be considered an especially dangerous threat. On the other hand, he was firing a shotgun, which is lethal over only a very limited range, and no one had been injured or killed.

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His father, Rodney, said: �He didn�t endanger anyone at all to my knowledge. We will want answers as to why police shot him.�

The police are unrepentant. �This was not a perceived threat; it was a real threat,� said one senior officer.

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�Sometimes people just do not commit suicide by pulling the trigger themselves,� he said. �Here is a guy who had plenty of time and opportunity to surrender to the police, but he didn�t. Also the fact that he wrote a message to his wife and threw it out of the window suggests that he was about to do something terminal. It wasa farewell message.�

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TomInTib

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Sun May-11-08 03:23 PM
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1. Why would he shoot his shotgun?

Was it a threat?

Had it insulted him?

Maybe he caught it in bed with his wife.

Fire away.

He was firing the danged thing. You shoot people, not guns.

One fires a gun.

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jody

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Sun May-11-08 03:37 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. "Shoot", to fire or let fly (a missile) from a weapon. n/t

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iverglas

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Sun May-11-08 04:08 PM
Response to Original message

3. more

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1049029_barristers_multiple_gun_wounds

Mr Saunders is believed to have fired at neighbours with a legally-owned shotgun before police arrived.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7389262.stm

The Daily Mail says before his death the popular and successful lawyer threw a box into the garden on which he wrote: "I love my wife dearly."

Many papers report he suffered from bouts of depression and alcoholism.

The Daily Express says he had a love of red wine and whisky.

The Times says an argument with his wife had set off the series of events.

Suicidal drunks with guns.

http://www.thelondondailynews.com/siege-lawyer-shot-five-times-taser-ruled-p-583.html

There was still no definitive confirmation today from the Independent Police Complaints Commission on our reports of a taser being responsible for the death of barrister Mark Saunders.

Initial reports indicated he died as a result of either his own bullet or that of a police marksman's. An inquest has now heard he was shot five times. Suicide was suggested, as was post traumatic stress by his service in the army. Police maintain they had to return fire.

There is however speculation from sources within the Metropolitan Police that a taser was responsible for the man's death - delivered either before or after he was shot.

The IPCC has confirmed three separate exchanges of fire. Police raided the property using four stun grenades - it is still not clear what happened inside the house.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1997/ukpga_19970005_en_4#pt3-pb2-l1g40

30C Revocation of shot gun certificates

(1) A shot gun certificate may be revoked by the chief officer of police for the area in which the holder resides if he is satisfied that the holder is prohibited by this Act from possessing a shot gun or cannot be permitted to possess a shot gun without danger to the public safety or to the peace.

(2) A person aggrieved by the revocation of a shot gun certificate may in accordance with section 44 of this Act appeal against the revocation.

I guess nobody expects that a depressed drunk with a gun is likely to be a danger to the public safety or the peace. Most aren't, but if I knew a depressed alcohol abuser who had a firearm, I think I'd be contacting the local firearms officer.

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radioburning

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Sun May-11-08 07:27 PM
Response to Original message

4. A dead lawyer...and what was the problem again?

Sorry, it was just too tempting...

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