Police shooting inquiry to begin

A full inquiry into the death of a 24-year-old, who was shot by police seven years ago, is due to begin today.

Azelle Rodney died after being shot six times in Edgware in April 2005, as the Metropolitan Police carried out a "hard stop" on a car he was travelling in.

Three unmarked police cars boxed in the VW Golf, which had been under surveillance for several hours, as Mr Rodney sat in the back seat.

It is the first inquiry of its kind in England. Normally an inquest would be held to determine a cause of death, but in this instance it was decided that an inquiry would be held instead because of sensitive evidence that would need to be withheld from a coroner.

There is no evidence to suggest that Mr Rodney was armed when he was shot, although the two men with him - Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham - later admitted possessing firearms.

Last week Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander said she wanted to see "a robust, effective and transparent inquiry" into his death.

She said she would never recover from the effects of having to wait seven years tofind out why he was shot.

"Waiting for so long to hear the evidence about the death of my son has had a profound effect on my life for the past seven years.

"I don't think I will ever recover from it, as it has had such a big impact on my state of mind, my work - when that has been possible - home, social and family life.

"No-one should have to wait for so many years to find out why their son or daughter died at the hands of the police."