Man fatally shot at police station, inquest told

A man who brandished a knife in a police station car park before smashing windows and kicking police cars died of a gunshot wound to his abdomen, an inquest has heard.

A jury at Derby Coroner's Court was told Marius Ciolac, 35, was shot outside Ascot Drive police station in Derby on the morning of 7 October 2022.

Mr Ciolac's last movements were captured on CCTV and bodyworn camera footage, and showed him entering the compound through a sliding gate holding a pet cat in a carrier bag.

In the footage, he could be seen smashing windows at the police station, while officers inside shout "put the knife down, drop the knife".

The footage shows Mr Ciolac, originally from Cernavoda in Romania, then walking off to the car park, hitting police vehicles before going to the entrance of the station.

He is then seen being surrounded by armed officers who used a baton round, a Taser, and a multi-bang stun grenade.

The footage then shows Mr Ciolac running towards an officer when he is shot and falls to the ground, before being handcuffed.

The inquest was told Mr Ciolac went into cardiac arrest and was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he was pronounced dead.

The intention of armed officers responding to a scene is "to stop a person, not to kill", the inquest heard.

Insp Dave Mason, chief firearms instructor at Derbyshire Police, told the hearing armed officers are taught to aim at the torso during their training, instead of a smaller part of the body, such as the leg.

The rate of the latter being successful, Mr Mason said, is "limited".

"We provide the highest level of enhanced firearm training," he added.

He also told the jury about the less lethal weapons used by officers to stop a person, such as the ones used before Mr Ciolac was shot.

Insp Mason added that officers are trained to try and enter negotiations with the subject "to give space and time to allow the subject to take a decision".

"There has to be a balance between trying to negotiate with the subject and achieve a resolution and securing the safety of people in the area, including colleagues," he added.

Dr Frances Hollingbury, a forensic pathologist who completed the post-mortem examination, told the inquest that in her opinion, Mr Ciolac died of a gunshot to the lower abdomen, which caused a "significant internal injury", including a tear to the small bowel.

"I was aware that at around 10 o'clock in the morning on the 7th of October 2022, a male had gained access to a secure car park at Ascot Drive police station armed with a knife and carrying a pet cat in a carrier bag," she said.

She said 22 recent injuries were found during her examination, including grazes and bruises across his body and head which were "consistent with being sustained at some point during the incident".

Dr Hollingbury added there was "no evidence to suggest he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time".

Mr Ciolac's family, who are not legally represented but supported by an interpreter, joined the hearing virtually.

The inquest, which is expected to last four weeks, continues.

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