Anthony Grainger shooting: Officer could face murder charge

The IPCC served a formal notice of investigation on the officer who shot Anthony Grainger on 2 April

A police firearms officer who shot an unarmed man dead in Cheshire has been warned he could face a murder charge.

The Greater Manchester Police officer has been interviewed under criminal caution over Anthony Grainger's death.

Mr Grainger, 36, was shot in the chest after the car he was in was stopped in Culcheth, Cheshire, last month.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said the officer had been interviewed on suspicion of committing a criminal offence.

It said potential offences he could be charged with include manslaughter and murder.

The police watchdog served a formal notice of investigation on the officer on 2 April.

In a statement, it said: "The IPCC remains in close liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service and at this stage a range of potential offences are under consideration, including unlawful act manslaughter and murder."

Stolen car

It confirmed no firearms or weapons were found on Mr Grainger when he was shot in a village car park.

It said the red Audi that he was in had been stolen and had false registration plates on it.

Greater Manchester Police officers shot the car's tyres twice and threw a CS canister into the vehicle.

The fatal shot was one round fired by an officer carrying a Heckler and Koch MP5 carbine, which pierced the windscreen and hit Mr Grainger.

Mr Grainger, an "odd job man", was originally from Salford and lived in Deane Church Lane, Bolton.