A former police officer has authored a book aimed at “rectifying the narrative” regarding the death of Jean Charles de Menezes.
The 27-year-old Brazilian electrician was shot by police near Stockwell Tube station in south London on July 22, 2005, just one day after failed bombing attempts on the city’s public transport system.
Steve Reynolds, a former officer with Essex Police, had recently begun a new role at the Independent Police Complaints Commission when the tragic event occurred.
“To begin with, Jean Charles was completely innocent,” he stated.
“Moreover, the two officers who discharged their weapons believed wholeheartedly that he was a suicide bomber poised to detonate a bomb at any moment.
“I believe it’s challenging to reconcile those contrasting viewpoints, but I felt it was essential to convey that in this book.”
The Metropolitan Police faced a fine of £175,000 along with £385,000 in costs due to the incident, for violating health and safety regulations. However, no officers faced prosecution for the fatal shooting.
In April, the police reiterated their apology to the family, who expressed that it was a “travesty” that no officers had been held responsible in the two decades following his death.
Patricia da Silva Armani, a cousin of Mr. de Menezes, remarked: “He was entirely innocent. Yet, he was shot in cold blood.”
She expressed her belief that it was “unacceptable for agents of the state to act with such impunity.”
The former officer has served as a consultant on various documentaries regarding the shooting, as well as a drama titled “Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes” that was released on Disney+ in April.
His book is entitled “The Met on Trial.”
“I realized that the actual investigation was not adequately covered in those documentaries,” he clarified.
“I was also eager to set the facts straight about what transpired, as there are still numerous misconceptions surrounding the incident today.
“Many people believe he was carrying a backpack, that he was dressed in heavy clothing, that he did not respond to police commands, and that he fled the scene… these are misconceptions I aimed to correct.”
He clarified that the surveillance team mistakenly identified Mr. de Menezes as a suspect after he exited his apartment building, which was near the residence of the actual suicide bomber.
This misidentification caused confusion at New Scotland Yard, leading the control room to assume that a correct identification had been made, Mr. Reynolds explained.
The shooting occurred two weeks after the 7/7 terror attacks, which resulted in 52 fatalities in central London.
Mr. Reynolds noted, “There were certainly failures within the organization, but those two officers honestly believed they were confronting a suicide bomber.
“They thought they were facing a situation reminiscent of the 7/7 attacks, about to confront someone ready to detonate their bomb and cause mass casualties.
“You can only imagine their distress… There can’t be many days that pass without those two officers reflecting on what happened 20 years ago.”
Earlier this year, the Met Police stated that Mr. de Menezes was killed during a period of “unprecedented terrorist threat to London.”
A spokesperson asserted that the force had undergone multiple public inquiries, including two independent reports from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (now known as the Independent Office for Police Conduct).
“No officer goes on duty with the intention of taking a life. Our primary objective is the exact opposite—that is, to protect and preserve life. We have taken substantial measures to address the issues that led to this tragedy,” the spokesperson concluded.
