Coventry shooting: Family calls for answers four years on

Mr Fitzgerald's family say they are still without answers about his death

The family of a man fatally shot by a police officer say they are still without answers four years after his death.

Sean Fitzgerald, 31, was wounded as he left a house in Coventry during a planned police operation in 2019.

His brother Liam said the family were let down by the system put in place to hold police officers to account.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said delays to the "complex" investigation were "regrettable".

The former soldier was shot in January 2019 as he left the back of the property on Burnaby Road while police were entering through the front.

A gross misconduct notice was issued to the officer in April 2021 in respect of their use of force during the operation.

In March 2022 the IOPC announced the officer was being investigated for "potential homicide offences," but nine months on the inquiry has not yet been concluded.

Derrick Campbell, IOPC regional director, said although the investigation was at an advanced stage last summer, he felt that "further independent analysis was required in order to fully consider some of the evidence".

"Delays, which included identifying someone suitably qualified to carry out this work, have been resolved and an expert's report was received shortly before Christmas," he said.

Sean Fitzgerald was shot dead during a planned police raid

In a statement, Mr Fitzgerald's brother Liam called on the IOPC to provide a date by which their report would be finalised and to decide whether it would recommend the case be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.

He said a "nightmare" four years had been made harder by the "fight needed to get the truth and accountability that we all want".

"We have had to fight and argue our case to seek to ensure a thorough investigation, an investigation that we were told would take three to six months," said Mr Fitzgerald.

The family had gone through "four years of sorrow and anger for our loss of a brother, uncle, stepson, partner and friend," he said.

"This isn't right, it can't be, and it should never happen again."

Delays 'compound pain and grief'

Anita Sharma, from the legal charity Inquest, said the IOPC's investigation was one of the longest they have seen in recent years.

"Bereaved families and the public deserve urgent and robust scrutiny of the highest standard following lethal use of police force," she said.

"It is unacceptable. The ongoing delay not only compounds the pain and grief of Sean's family, but also frustrates the role the IOPC has in the prevention of further deaths.

"The IOPC must now provide the family with the dignity of a date by which their investigation will conclude and the long-awaited answers around the full circumstances of Sean's death."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said delays to the complex investigation were regrettable

Mr Campbell said: "We acknowledge the concerns expressed by Mr Fitzgerald's family and the delays in bringing matters to their conclusion are regrettable.

"We have informed Mr Fitzgerald's family of the latest developments and our thoughts remain with them and everyone else affected by his death."