Mark Duggan was shot by police marksmen last August.
by Flora Drury
Thursday, April 26, 2012
6:51 PM
New footage showing the aftermath of Mark Duggan’s shooting has been controversially broadcast for the first time - sparking heavy criticism from the police watchdog.
The video, which appears to have been filmed from a window overlooking Ferry Lane, Tottenham, does not capture the shooting itself on August 4 last year but the actions of paramedics, police officers and the London Air Ambulance following the incident.
The BBC - which broadcast the film during the Six O’Clock News this evening - has said the person behind the camera, who wanted to remain anonymous, claims to have witnessed the incident but had yet to speak with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating the shooting.
The Journal understands some interested parties were reluctant for it to be shown.
This evening IPCC commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne condemned the BBC for its decision to show the footage - and refusal to play it back to them in advance of it being aired.
She said: “The IPCC is conducting a sensitive investigation of considerable public interest. Given this, it is particularly disappointing that BBC News did not afford us the opportunity to view this footage in advance of broadcast, despite our repeated requests.
“Broadcasting this footage is likely to have caused considerable distress to Mr Duggan’s family, friends and the local community in addition to potentially prejudicing our investigation and any legal process that may follow.
“We have asked the BBC to pass our contact details to the witness and would urge them to come forward. We fully expect BBC News to now pass us the unedited footage so we are able to fully assess its implications.”
BBC News broadcasted just under two minutes of edited footage from the witness.