appeared to contradict earlier police reports
"July 21 bombing suspected was innocent: An innocent Brazilian man shot to death a day after botched bombings in London had walked casually onto a train before being gunned down by undercover officers, according to leaked footage that appeared to contradict earlier police reports that said the man disobeyed police orders."
Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old electrician, was shot eight times last month in front of commuters on a subway train, after undercover police tailed him from a house that was under surveillance.
Police first said the shooting was related to the failed bombings on the London transit system July 21 - two weeks after four suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up in three Underground stations and aboard one double-decker bus.
Citing security footage, a British television station reported Tuesday that Menezes entered the Stockwell subway station at a normal walking pace, stopping to pick up a newspaper before boarding a train and taking a seat.
The ITV News broadcast, citing an investigation report into the shooting, also said Menezes was wearing a light denim jacket when he was shot seven times in the head and once in the shoulder.
Witness reports described a scene of the man - wearing a bulky jacket on a warm July day - running through the train station, being tackled to the ground by a group of undercover police officers, then being shot several times at close range.
One witness said Menezes looked like a scared, cornered animal.
Lawyer Harriet Wistrich, acting for the Brazilian's family, said police had no reason to suspect Menezes was a bomber.
ITV News also said that, according to the investigation into the shooting, police had concluded that Menezes matched the description of one of the four suspects in the July 21 attacks. But a surveillance officer was unable to switch on a video camera - which would have allowed colleagues to see Menezes and check the identification - because he was urinating.
ITV News said that, according to the IPCC report, a member of the team that tailed Menezes into the subway train said he heard shouting including the word "police" before turning to face the Brazilian.
"He immediately stood up and advanced towards me and the (...) officers ... I grabbed the male in the denim jacket by wrapping both my arms around his torso, pinning his arms to his side," the unidentified officer was quoted as saying.
"I then pushed him back on to the seat where he had been previously sitting ... I then heard a gun shot very close to my left ear and was dragged away onto the floor of the carriage."
A man sitting opposite Menezes saw a man boarding and firing his first shot from a handgun at the Brazilian's head from 30 centimetres (12 inches) away, according to the report obtained by ITV.
The report also said that, while Menezes was shot eight times, a further three bullets were fired but missed.
I can't comment now; I want to scream. I'll post tomorrow.. when this story dominates the news and everyone has seen it.