Azelle Rodney shooting: Police video shows car pursuit

Footage showing the pursuit of suspects in north London which led to the fatal shooting of Azelle Rodney seven years ago has been released.

Mr Rodney, 24, was shot six times by a marksman in Edgware, north London, after the car he was in was brought to a halt.

Officers thought he and two others were on their way to commit an armed raid.

The video is part of police footage shown to the public inquiry into Mr Rodney's death on Monday.

'Immediate danger'

Azelle Rodney died after being shot six times in 2005

It shows three unmarked police cars following the Volkswagen Golf carrying Mr Rodney and two other men through Mill Hill, before the vehicle was brought to a halt.

Officers are then seen getting out to apprehend the suspects after which the recording picked up the dull thuds of the bullets being fired by one of the officers.

Mr Rodney of west London was killed on 30 April 2005 within seconds of the car he was in being brought to a "hard stop", the inquiry has heard.

Officers believed Mr Rodney, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham had machine guns and were on their way to commit a drugs-related armed robbery, the inquiry heard.

The inquiry into Mr Rodney's death saw a statement from the officer who fired the fatal shots, identified only as E7.

"I believed I couldn't delay my decision to fire any longer," the statement said.

"I felt that my colleagues were in immediate danger."

Girlfriend pregnant

Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander questioned why her son was shot, while the other two men were left unharmed.

In a statement, she said his girlfriend was eight months pregnant at the time.

"To state the obvious they were at least able to walk away alive on 30 April and have long since served their prison sentences, while it seems to be that Azelle was executed that day and as a result never got to see his baby daughter," she said.

"I can only say that I'm still shocked that guns were found by police in the car that Azelle was travelling in when he was killed.

"I do not believe from what I have heard that police had good reason to shoot at him, let alone kill him."

The public inquiry, which is taking place in a court room in the High Court Principal Registry of the Family Division, is being held because an inquest could not see all the intelligence information which led police to believe Mr Rodney was armed.