Man was not shot in the back, says police watchdog

A 31-YEAR-OLD former solider who was killed by police during a raid in Coventry was not shot in the back, according to the police watchdog.

Friends of Sean Fitzgerald said he had been “unarmed” and was shot as he fled, but last night the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) said there was no evidence of this.

The IOPC said officers’ body camera footage showed “no indication” that Mr Fitzgerald had been shot in the back.

West Midlands Police confirmed one man was shot dead and two men were detained following what was described as an “intelligence-led operation”.

Officers executed a warrant at an address in the street at around 6.20pm. A friend of Mr Fitzgerald earlier said he was visiting a home in Burnaby Road on Friday night when police used ladders to burst into the property.

The IPOC confirmed it is investigating the fatality after it was referred by police. The area around the scene remained cordoned off yesterday.