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Police officer shot dead at station in Croydon

Police tape - Yui Mok / PA 
Police tape - Yui Mok / PA

A police officer has died after being shot by a man who was being detained at Croydon Custody Centre in south London on Friday, the Metropolitan Police said.

A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a police officer in south London.

At approximately 02:15hrs on Friday, 25 September the officer was shot by a man who was being detained at Croydon Custody Centre in Windmill Lane.

Officers and paramedics treated him at the scene and he was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service. Very tragically he subsequently died at hospital.

We are in the process of informing all of the officer’s family and are supporting them with specialist officers.

A 23-year-old man was detained by officers at the scene. He was also taken to hospital with a gunshot wound and remains in a critical condition.

No police firearms were discharged during the incident.

Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which one of our colleagues has lost his life in the most tragic circumstances. My heart goes out to his family, direct colleagues and friends.

“We are currently supporting his family and also have a dedicated team providing support to the officers and those in the custody centre who witnessed the shooting.

"When a colleague dies in the line of duty the shockwaves and sadness reverberates throughout the Met and our communities. Policing is a family, within London and nationally, and we will all deeply mourn our colleague.

“We are in the early stages of the investigation and are still working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and we will provide further updates when we have them."

We have referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct who will lead an independent investigation. The MPS retain primacy of the murder investigation.

This is a breaking story with more details to follow.