Marcus Meade died after being shot once in the chest [Family]
Demonstrators supporting the family of a man who was shot dead by police on Christmas Eve gathered outside police headquarters, demanding action against the officer involved.
Father-of-two Marcus Meade was killed after police stormed his flat in Redditch, Worcestershire, a year ago, following a five-hour standoff.
The 39-year-old, originally from Birmingham, was believed to be alone and suffering a mental health episode when he was shot once in the chest.
West Mercia Police said a police station investigation was ongoing and could not comment. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the investigation was at an advanced stage and was considering next steps.
Last week, Mr Meade’s parents, Anthony Meade and Deborah Clarke, who live in Birmingham, said their lives had been destroyed.
Mrs Clarke said the family was still waiting for answers, adding that until the police can “be held accountable for what they did, justice will never be served”.
They submitted a petition that has more than 2,100 signatures, asking the chief constable to suspend the officer who fired the fatal shot, or to resign.
Protesters were outside West Mercia Police headquarters as the petition was delivered [BBC]
Protesters gathered at the force’s headquarters as the petition was delivered on Monday.
Those who are making the campaign said that they remained concerned that the officer who pulled out their weapon continued to carry a firearm while the investigations were ongoing.
During the protest, Mr Meade’s aunt Selina Freckleton said: “He may be a statistic for them, but he was a man, he was family.
“Marcus was my nephew. He was someone’s son, he was someone’s father, he was someone’s friend, we deserve answers.”
Selina Freckleton said Marcus Meade was family and they deserve answers [BBC]
A spokesman for the IOPC said: “Our investigation is at an advanced stage, with a significant amount of work already carried out.
“We have recently received expert reports that have analyzed the planning and execution of the firearms operation as well as its tactical delivery and we are now considering our next steps.”
He said that the watchman understood the family “quite rightly, looking for answers about how the events happened” and the IOPC was committed to ensuring a robust and thorough investigation.
In a statement West Mercia Police said: “The IOPC is continuing to carry out an independent investigation, and it would not be appropriate for us to continue to comment at this time.”
Marcus Meade’s parents say their lives have been destroyed [BBC]
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