The scene of the 22 July shooting
17 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The family of a Brazilian killed last month by London police who erroneously thought he was a terrorist has called for a public inquiry into his death.
A police officer killed 27-year-old Jean Charles de Menezes on 22 July by pumping several bullets into his head at point-blank range on a metro station in London.
Police said at the time of the incident that Menezes had failed to heed a warning to stop and had vaulted the ticket barriers. Officials said police suspected him of being a suicide bomber.
But press reports said today that none of this was correct. Documents leaked to ITN news, a commercial broadcaster, said Menezes had been restrained before the killing and had not resisted police in any way.
Allessandro Pereira, a member of Menezes' family, told the BBC today that the family wanted a public inquiry.
Harriet Wistrich, the Menezes family's lawyer, urged a review of police policy.
(dpa/BBC)
Police said at the time of the incident that Menezes had failed to heed a warning to stop and had vaulted the ticket barriers. Officials said police suspected him of being a suicide bomber.
But press reports said today that none of this was correct. Documents leaked to ITN news, a commercial broadcaster, said Menezes had been restrained before the killing and had not resisted police in any way.
Allessandro Pereira, a member of Menezes' family, told the BBC today that the family wanted a public inquiry.
Harriet Wistrich, the Menezes family's lawyer, urged a review of police policy.
(dpa/BBC)