Footballer who held boy hostage and killed neighbour was shot dead by police, inquest hears

A footballer who was holding a toddler hostage after battering a neighbour to death was shot dead by police when attempts to Taser him failed, an inquest heard.

Kelvin Igweani, who had played football in the lower German leagues, barricaded himself in a bedroom where he was believed to be attacking the two-year-old boy.

Armed officers forced their way into the flat in Milton Keynes and found the body of 38-year-old council highways officer Richard Woodcock - the heroic neighbour who tried to rescue the child.

An inquest jury examining the death of the Nigerian-born footballer heard details of how the events unfolded on 26 June, 2021 and were shown harrowing police body-worn footage.

They heard the mother of the boy had earlier escaped the flat with a younger child.

Mr Woodcock responded to her calls for help and went to the flat in Denmead, Two Mile Ash, to try to intervene.

But he was dragged into the flat and battered with a 4kg kettlebell and killed. An earlier inquest into his death concluded he had been unlawfully killed.

The coroner said a female police officer was first on the scene and attempted to kick open the door to the flat before armed response arrived.

In police bodycam footage, one armed officer can be heard saying, "there is a child. We need to go in," before smashing into the flat.

The video shows police trying to Taser Mr Igweani. Mr Igweani then retreats to a bedroom and barricades himself in.

The boy can be heard crying, as officers repeatedly shout: “Let me know the child is ok. Open the door” and “We are police firearms officers.”

One is recorded as saying: “He is armed with a knife and has a two year old as a hostage.”

One officer breaks down the bedroom door and there is a shout of “Show me your hands.”It was then that four shots were fired.

Jurors heard Mr Igweani had been coming towards the officers when he was shot. Two of the shots struck him in the chest.

The two armed officers removed the child. He was grabbed by the woman officer who went downstairs with him.

The toddler was in a critical condition and taken to Milton Keynes hospital. Doctors at the time thought he would die, the coroner said.

"Luckily and miraculously he has made a remarkable recovery,” said Dr Sean Cumming, the assistant coroner for Milton Keynes.

The jury was told that even after he was shot, Mr Igweani was still resisting.

He was punched in the face and head and subdued. Paramedics began CPR, but he died at the scene.

The medical cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest, jurors were told.

The inquest, which is due to last three weeks, continues.

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