PC Yvonne Fletcher: Police vow to catch killer

PC Yvonne Fletcher was gunned down outside the Libyan Embassy in London

The police say they are "determined to catch the person responsible" for the murder of a policewoman who was shot dead in central London 30 years ago.

The Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, made the comments at the memorial of PC Yvonne Fletcher, who was 25 when she died.

The officer was gunned down on 17 April 1984 outside the Libyan embassy. No-one has been prosecuted for her death.

Members of her family joined friends and colleagues in remembering her.

A two-minute silence was held during the service in St James's Square, before floral tributes were laid.

'Lacked commitment'

Sir Bernard said: "At the end of the day, Yvonne Fletcher's parents lost their daughter.

"Her sister lost a sister. We lost a colleague, and we're determined to make sure we catch the person responsible," he said.

He said the investigation had "never stopped", adding: "We're determined to make progress, and I'm confident we're making good progress."

Ms Fletcher was one of 50 officers policing a protest against Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime outside the embassy when she was hit by a burst of gunfire from a first-floor window.

Investigators believe the bullets, which killed her and injured 10 protesters, was fired by a sniper who intended to hit protesting Libyan dissidents.

Sir Bernard attended the memorial with Ms Fletcher's family

Her death led to an 11-day siege of the building and the severing of diplomatic links between the UK and Libya.

In 2012 the Met sent a team of officers to Libya to continue their investigations into the murder.

Ms Fletcher's friend and colleague, John Murray, told the officer in the ambulance that he would get justice for her.

"Bearing in mind that those were the last words she heard before she died, that's a promise I made to her and a promise I'll keep," he said.