(Reuters) – A British police officer was shot dead by a man being held at a police station in south London early Friday morning.
Police said the incident happened around 2:15 a.m. when the man was taken into custody from the Croydon Custody Center, where the arrested suspects are being prosecuted. The officer was treated at the scene with injuries but succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
It is believed the 23-year-old suspect then turned the gun on himself. He was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds and is in critical condition. Officers did not fire.
London Police Chief Cressida Dick said the incident was “really shocking” but was not considered terrorism.
“Our investigation is being led by expert Crime Command’s cow slaughter investigators,” he said in a statement. “We do not consider it an anti-terrorism incident. We are all trying for the purpose of murder. ”
He had earlier said there were initial indications that the suspect had shot himself.
Police have named the victim as 54-year-old Matt Ratana, a custody sergeant originally from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. A former London Irish rugby player, he has been with the London Police since 1991.
The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Office (IOPC), which said a suspect was arrested for possession of drugs and ammunition.
A statement added that “the man was handcuffed in the back before being escorted to the Cryden Custody Suite in a police vehicle.”
The IOPC said handcuffs remained in place as officers prepared to search for him using a metal detector. At the time, the shot was fired.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “My heart goes out to the family, friends and colleagues of the police officer who was killed in Croydon last night. We owe a great debt to those who risk their lives to protect us. “
The killing of an officer is a rare occurrence in Britain where most police remain regularly unarmed. Only 16 other London police officers have been shot to death since World War II, the BBC said.
Additional reporting by Stephen Edison and Alistair Smoutt; Edited by Andrew Hevens and Daniel Vassis
.
