Armed officers who shot footballer in Milton Keynes siege 'acted appropriately', says watchdog

Police officers "acted appropriately" when they shot dead a footballer who was holding a toddler hostage in a house where a heroic neighbour had been bludgeoned to death, the police watchdog has concluded.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the "use of lethal force was necessary given the circumstances" faced by officers responding to a call in Milton Keynes in June 2021.

They were confronted by 24-year-old Kelvin Igweani, who then barricaded himself in a room with a toddler inside a property in the Two Mile Ash area of the city.

An inquest on Wednesday concluded that Mr Igweani, a former lower-league footballer in Germany, was lawfully killed.

The body of Richard Woodcock - a neighbour who had gone to the aid of the child but was attacked and killed with a kettlebell - was also found inside the property.

Officers first tried unsuccessfully to Taser Mr Igweani. When he hid in a room with the child, police tried to force their way in after hearing noises that suggested Igweani was hurting the child.

"They forced entry and the door fell backwards into the room causing a large wardrobe to fall on top of Mr Igweani and the child," said the IOPC.

"He then moved towards the officers with his arm raised. One officer fired four shots, with two hitting Mr Igweani. The officer who fired the shots stated they believed he had a knife in his hand."

Mr Igweani was given first aid but died at 10.33am.

An inquest into his death concluded at Milton Keynes Coroner's Court on Wednesday, meaning that the IOPC was able to publish findings it reached in March 2022.

Last April, an inquest into Mr Woodcock’s death concluded that he had been unlawfully killed.

The IOPC concluded: "We looked at the force used by officers, including the discharge of a firearm, was reasonable and necessary in the circumstances to prevent further harm to the child and we found no indication that any of the officers involved behaved in a way that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence."

Blood pattern analysis showed the child was punched by Mr Igweani and hit, possibly with part of a wardrobe which was broken while he held the child hostage, the report added.

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “The evidence shows the officers perceived there to be an immediate threat to life as they had seen the body of Mr Woodcock when they entered the property and heard the cries of a distressed child in another room.

“The officers, who were presented with a traumatic and distressing situation, acted swiftly to gain entry to the room to prevent further injury to the child. We found the decision to shoot Mr Igweani was necessary, proportionate and reasonable in those circumstances.

“After the shots were fired, all of the firearms officers and other police who attended immediately attempted to save Mr Igweani’s life.”

The IOPC also examined concerns raised about Mr Igweani’s wellbeing prior to 26 June 2021.

Four days earlier, his family contacted West Midlands Police with concerns about his mental health and were encouraged to seek medical help.

A complaint was also made by his family concerning Thames Valley Police's scene management after the shooting.

The IOPC found both forces acted appropriately.

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