Officer feared for life before shooting man - inquest

An armed police officer who fatally shot a man carrying an air rifle opened fire because he feared for his life, an inquest has heard.

The officer had responded to a call reporting a fight between two men when he shot father-of-two Graham Trinder, 57, on 8 November 2020 on Summers Street in Swindon.

The officer, referred to in court as AL/1, told Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court: "I was terrified, the most scared I've been in my career to date. I thought I was going to die."

Mr Trinder had been drinking with neighbours when a dispute broke out shortly before 02:00 GMT, which resulted in him fetching an air rifle from his home, the inquest jury has previously been told.

Mr Trinder, known as Tommy, was holding a .22 air rifle outside his home when he sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

AL/1 explained that when he got the scene shortly after 02:00 he noticed a second police car arriving and one person in the street.

Mr Trinder then came out of a house carrying a "long-barrelled rifle with a scope," AL/1 said.

The officer described the weapon as looking like a large-calibre hunting rifle and said he did not hear anyone shouting it was an air rifle before he opened fire.

He said he had been "shocked" at seeing the weapon and added: "It doesn't happen in the UK. People don't walk around with guns in the street."

AL/1 told the inquest he drew his gun, pointed it at Mr Trinder and started shouting at him to put the gun down.

Asked how many times he gave the warning, he replied: "I can't … two, three, four, maybe, I don't know."

The officer said Mr Trinder took a "proper stable shooting position" then brought the weapon towards him "in a deliberate aimed action".

AL/1 said he thought that he was going to be killed as the weapon came round towards him and decided to fire.

Acting Sgt Marcin Kozak was one of the response officers at the scene and witnessed the shooting.

He told the inquest: "My colleague shouts, 'he's got a gun' and that's when I realised how scared I am.

"I could see it was a rifle with a scope. He was moving his hands and grabbed the barrel, and I thought he was going to kill him.

"Scared is an understatement."

The inquest has previously been told by residents who witnessed the incident that they heard the officer repeatedly tell Mr Trinder to put down the weapon.

The hearing continues.

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