Gunman dies after exchanging shots with police
A gunman who traded shots with police in a five-hour stand-off has died, Scotland Yard said tonight.
The IPCC confirmed their investigators were on their way to the scene in Markham Square, Chelsea, West London.
Earlier the man exchanged fire with armed officers three times from the flat and also sprayed a house opposite with bullets.
A spokesman for the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) said: ``The IPCC will independently investigate the fatal shooting of a man in the Kings Road area of Chelsea tonight.
“At 9.50pm the Metropolitan Police Service referred the incident to the IPCC.
“IPCC investigators are going to the scene to start the inquiry.”
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “Following this incident a man has been pronounced dead. This is now a matter for the IPCC. Residents will be allowed back into their premises in due course.”
She refused to answer any other questions.
It is not thought that anybody has been shot dead by Met Police officers since Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes was gunned down at Stockwell Tube station in July 2005.
An eyewitness said the gunman was in his late twenties with dark brown hair.
Emergency medical teams were seen entering a cordoned-off area in Markham Square, Chelsea around 9.55pm.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing green flashes, indicating police may have used stun grenades before entering the flat.
The siege began when armed officers were called to reports of gunshots from a residential property around 4.50pm.
The gunman opened fire on them and police fired back.
Kings Road was closed with a number of shop workers and customers forced to lock themselves in nearby buildings as the siege unfolded.
A police negotiator was called in but shots were heard at the property again around 9pm, and officers returned fire.
Shots were then exchanged again around half an hour later, and shortly afterwards paramedics were seen being allowed into the cordoned-off area.
Commander Ali Dizaei said the gunman had made no demands and properties surrounding the flat had been evacuated.
Earlier there was speculation that the shooting was linked to a domestic dispute that escalated.
A shopper on the Kings Road also told Sky she had seen a woman crying and believed there was some kind of disagreement before the shooting.
“It seems that an argument started and it may have got out of hand,” she said.
The gunman had also fired shotgun pellets into the second floor bedroom of a house opposite.
The homeowner was outside, and came upstairs to see him re-loading the gun through the window.
She said: “It’s just very strange. I think it’s going to hit me tomorrow, I don’t know why someone was shooting at my house.
“I have no idea who he is, I’ve never seen him in my life.”
