GUILTY UK - Sgt. Matt Ratana, 54, shot dead inside custody centre in south London, 25 Sept 2020 *arrest*

[IainD]

The Metropolitan Police say a 23-year-old man was detained at the scene at Croydon custody centre, and was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound.

The male officer was shot at 2.15am on Friday by a man who had already been arrested.

In a statement, the Met said the officer was treated at the scene and then taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service, but later died.

Police officer shot dead inside custody centre in south London

 

[musicaljoke]

The Metropolitan Police say a 23-year-old man was detained at the scene at Croydon custody centre, and was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound.

The male officer was shot at 2.15am on Friday by a man who had already been arrested.

In a statement, the Met said the officer was treated at the scene and then taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service, but later died.

Police officer shot dead inside custody centre in south London

How horrible. I wonder, how did the suspect get inside the custody centre with a loaded gun?

 

[Marg from Oz]

Some heads will roll after this. Especially the ones who searched him and missed the gun. Pat downs are obviously not the best way to search. MOO

 

[dotr]

Police officer shot dead at custody centre
rbbm.
''The male sergeant was shot in the chest before the suspect turned the firearm on himself, sources have told the BBC.

The man had been brought to the custody suite in a police vehicle and the shooting happened during questioning about Covid-19, the BBC was told.''

''The victim, who has not been named, is thought to have been a few weeks away from retirement and was described as "one of a kind" by a colleague.

BBC Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it was believed the suspect - who is critically ill in hospital - was known to counter-terrorism police having been on their radar in the past, though the Met Police has not officially confirmed that.''

''Analysis
By Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs correspondent
This appalling incident in Croydon appears to be absolutely unique - an officer shot by a man who was already inside a police facility - and the shock felt today underlines how rare it is for police officers in the UK to be killed by a suspect in the line of duty, relative to other nations.

The Metropolitan Police officer shot dead in Croydon is the 17th from the force to have been killed by a firearm since the Second World War.''

''Police officers in other parts of the world are often puzzled why British constables are not routinely armed. But the fact is that there are very few criminal guns in circulation - and the culture of policing has never seen it as acceptable to be universally armed.

However, Tasers are increasingly a common sight in the UK - and a massive survey of police officers recently found three-quarters would carry one of the less-than-lethal devices on the frontline, if given the choice.''

 

[IainD]

Some heads will roll after this. Especially the ones who searched him and missed the gun. Pat downs are obviously not the best way to search. MOO

Yeah, Heads will definitely be on the chopping block, especially if the reports are true that they found ammunition but missed the gun..

 

[dotr]

Police officer shot dead inside Croydon custody centre in south London
"The male officer, who Sky News understands is married with children and has been serving for almost 30 years, was shot at 2.15am today by a man who had already been arrested.

The officer - understood to be a custody sergeant - has been described by colleagues as "well-liked, a good copper, reliable".

''Sky News understands the 23-year-old had been stopped and searched by two special police constables who are thought to have found ammunition.

He was then arrested and put into a police car or van.
Sky crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "For some reason, I'm told he wasn't hand-cuffed."


''It is understood the officer has family overseas who the Met is trying to get in contact with.

A minute's silence was held in his memory at Scotland Yard this afternoon.''

 

[dotr]

Met police officer shot dead inside Croydon custody centre | Daily Mail Online
''The gunman who shot dead a Metropolitan Police custody sergeant in the early hours of the morning was deemed a 'potential terror threat' and had been referred to the anti-extremism Prevent programme, it was claimed today.

The detained man was said to have been about to be assessed and have his temperature and details taken as part of new booking rules amid the coronavirus pandemic after arriving at Croydon custody centre in South London.''

 

[dotr]

Croydon police officer shot dead named as Sgt Matt Ratana

image copyrightMetropolitan Police
Sgt Ratana joined the Met in 1991, having moved to the UK in 1989.
He was originally from the Hawke's Bay area of New Zealand and was educated at Palmerston North Boy's High School's, a town north of the capital, Wellington.

 

[dotr]

UK police search family home in probe into cop killerth | Daily Mail Online
''Police are searching a family home as investigations continued tonight into the murder of a sergeant who was shot in his own custody suite.

Officers have been at the home of the de Zoysa family, since Friday after 54-year-old Sergeant Matiu Ratana was killed in the early hours of the morning.

The property belongs to Channa de Zoysa and his wife Elizabeth, who live there with their sons John and 23-year-old Louis.

The gunman who shot Ratana had been stopped by officers on the pavement outside a block of South London flats, MailOnline revealed.

A cordon remains at Anderson Heights, Norbury, from where the suspect, 23, was taken to the Croydon Custody Centre before allegedly shooting Sergeant Ratana with his hands cuffed behind his back.

A neighbour of the de Zoysas, a Roman Catholic, said: 'I know the father is Sri Lankan and the mother is British. She works as an interpreter.

'They have three boys. The police are there constantly. We don't know what for but I always see police cars being called. What goes on within their four walls I don't know as they tend to keep to themselves.

'The police have been outside the address since [Friday] morning. All we know is that it's connected to the incident in Croydon.'''

He is good at snuffing out the light, imo.

The property belongs to Channa de Zoysa and his wife Elizabeth, who live there with their sons John and 23-year-old Louis (pictured)

 

[Kaykedi]

UK police search family home in probe into cop killerth | Daily Mail Online
''Police are searching a family home as investigations continued tonight into the murder of a sergeant who was shot in his own custody suite.

Officers have been at the home of the de Zoysa family, since Friday after 54-year-old Sergeant Matiu Ratana was killed in the early hours of the morning.

The property belongs to Channa de Zoysa and his wife Elizabeth, who live there with their sons John and 23-year-old Louis.

The gunman who shot Ratana had been stopped by officers on the pavement outside a block of South London flats, MailOnline revealed.

A cordon remains at Anderson Heights, Norbury, from where the suspect, 23, was taken to the Croydon Custody Centre before allegedly shooting Sergeant Ratana with his hands cuffed behind his back.

A neighbour of the de Zoysas, a Roman Catholic, said: 'I know the father is Sri Lankan and the mother is British. She works as an interpreter.

'They have three boys. The police are there constantly. We don't know what for but I always see police cars being called. What goes on within their four walls I don't know as they tend to keep to themselves.

'The police have been outside the address since [Friday] morning. All we know is that it's connected to the incident in Croydon.'''

He is good at snuffing out the light, imo.

The property belongs to Channa de Zoysa and his wife Elizabeth, who live there with their sons John and 23-year-old Louis (pictured)

Spot on dotr. Looking like the shooter is Louis? MOO

 

[dotr]

(Sorry for so many posts!)
Looks like something big might be going down, imo, speculation. rbbm.
Sept 28 2020
Croydon police shooting: Farmland searched over Sgt Matt Ratana death
''Police are continuing to search farmland in Surrey which is believed to be connected to the murder of Sgt Matiu Ratana.
Five police vehicles were seen at the site in Park Road, Banstead, on Monday''.
''Louis De Zoysa, 23, from Norbury, who is thought to have also shot himself, remains critically ill in hospital.

''The BBC's Daniel De Simone previously said the Banstead address is down a long driveway and its land contains a series of concrete bunkers.
A controlled explosion took place at the site over the weekend and a marked police car had been guarding the entrance to the property.''

''The murder inquiry appears to be expanding, with the former Ministry of Defence weapons depot in Banstead the focus of activity.
The site, disguised as a chicken farm during the war, is believed to be the last remaining ammunition depot to serve London during the Second World War.
Searches and forensic work can take a long time, but the presence of so many police officers and vehicles three days after the shooting suggests there may have been a significant discovery, or at least the prospect of one.
Detectives will want to find out why the shooting took place, whether it was premeditated and if other attacks were being planned.
Were other people involved or aware of what was going on?''

 

[dotr]

Sept 30 2020 rbbm.
Matiu Ratana death: Norwich man bailed in police officer murder case
''Five days on from the fatal shooting, detectives are still carrying out extensive searches of Mr De Zoysa's family home in Norbury, south London, and a farmland in Banstead, Surrey.
The search of the farmland, on Park Road, includes access to several derelict buildings and more than 30 acres of land and is expected "to take days to complete", the Met has said.''

''The Met reiterated that specialist detectives continue to investigate Sgt Ratana's death as murder and it was not terror-related.''

Croydon police shooter suspect Louis De Zoysa was 'caught with gun at school'
''A former classmate of De Zoysa at Roman Catholic all-boys John Fisher School in London claimed he once brought an air gun to school.

The ex-pupil, now 23, told the Daily Mirror: "I was told he got in trouble for bringing some kind of air gun into school.

"He didn't show signs that he was obsessed with guns but he knew a lot."

The classmate also claimed De Zoysa told him about browsing the dark web.''

Earlier, images emerged of De Zoysa showing off his love of weapons as he posed with a 5ft medieval sword.

Fellow school pupils remembered De Zoysa as a “socially awkward” but highly intelligent teenager who mysteriously dropped out of university.

The Brit of Sri Lankan heritage was also said to have had a “turbulent” home life.''

 

[dotr]

Croydon 'cop killer' Louis De Zoysa was a government employee
''SUSPECTED cop killer Louis De Zoysa had a government job, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.

De Zoysa, 23, was an employee of HMRC in the run-up to the shooting at a police station in Croydon, South London, which left Sgt Matt Ratana, 54, dead.''

''Officials are investigating what clearance De Zoysa, of Norbury, South London, had and if his role gave him access to weapons, databases or tax records.

The alleged gunman is critically ill in hospital after he shot himself in the neck in the September 25 incident.

HMRC did not respond to comment requests.''

 

[Mrs Marple]

'Cop killer' has Covid: Suspect alleged to have shot police sergeant Matt Ratana is 'seriously ill' | Daily Mail Online

 

[Luwin]

Sgt Matiu Ratana: Murder jury shown CCTV of policeman being shot

Louis De Zoysa "pulled the trigger on purpose" when he shot Met Sgt Matiu Ratana, his trial hears.

www.bbc.co.uk

A jury has been shown the moment when a Met Police sergeant was shot with an antique revolver in a custody holding cell in south London.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, denies killing Matiu Ratana, 54, with a gun concealed in an underarm holster at Croydon Custody Centre in 2020.
"Louis De Zoysa pulled the trigger on purpose four times," prosecutors said.
Duncan Penny KC added Mr De Zoysa "injured himself with the fourth shot".
The prosecution alleges Sgt Ratana, who was also known as Matthew and was the on-duty custody sergeant, was killed while Mr De Zoysa was handcuffed in a holding cell.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Matt Ratana death: Jurors in murder trial allowed to fire gun allegedly 'used to kill police officer'

Louis De Zoysa, 25, is accused of murdering Sergeant Matt Ratana using an antique revolver while being handcuffed. He denies the charge.

news.sky.com

 

[JerseyGirl]

Jury in Matiu Ratana murder trial shown antique revolver, allowed to fire dummy bullets

Jurors were allowed to hold the antique revolver, loaded with dummy bullets, allegedly used to kill Matiu Ratana, and fire it at the court ceiling, BBC reported.

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[Luwin]

Sgt Matiu Ratana: Met officer murder accused sad he died, jury hears

Louis De Zoysa is accused of murdering Sgt Matiu Ratana by shooting him at a custody centre.

www.bbc.co.uk

A man accused of murdering Metropolitan Police custody sergeant Matiu Ratana has told a jury he felt "sad" the officer died.
Louis De Zoysa agreed CCTV footage showed him firing a gun at 54-year-old Sgt Ratana, who was shot at Croydon custody centre on 25 September 2020.
Asked what murder meant, 25-year-old Mr De Zoysa said: "Kill."
He told the court he had not meant to kill Sgt Ratana nor to cause him really serious harm.
As he began giving evidence at Northampton Crown Court, Mr De Zoysa sat in a wheelchair in the well of the courtroom with a small whiteboard and marker on the desk in front of him, which he is using because of communication difficulties.

 

[Luwin]

Sgt Matiu Ratana shooting: Killer Louis De Zoysa will never be freed

The Met Police sergeant was shot twice at point-blank range at a custody centre in south London.

www.bbc.co.uk

A man has been been sentenced to a whole-life prison term for murdering Met Police sergeant Matiu Ratana.
Sgt Ratana, 54, was shot in the chest and leg at Croydon custody centre by Louis De Zoysa, who had smuggled an antique gun into the building following his arrest on 25 September 2020.
He was found guilty of murder, having claimed diminished responsibility.
Sgt Ratana's partner Su Bushby said her grief was "tormenting" and spoke of an "intense" feeling of emptiness.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

As awful as this crime is, I personally do not believe that under the current UK system it in context crosses the threshold for a whole life sentence, and I believe any appeal on that term would be successful.

Whilst Mr Rattanu was a serving police officer, which I entirely respect and deplore his death in the line of duty, this crime was brief in execution, I would guess unplanned, and does not deserve worse punishment than the sadistic murders of vulnerable members of the public that have passed by with lesser sentences.