From today's Times, does training need to be improved and reinforced?
John Simpson
, Crime Correspondent
Wednesday April 20 2022, 12.01am, The Times
The incident prompted a heavy police presence and the closure of Whitehall in London
HENRY NICHOLLS/REUTERS
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A man narrowly escaped being shot dead after allegedly charging at armed police officers with a blade drawn.
An officer from the Ministry of Defence police drew his pistol and pulled the trigger but had failed to release the gun’s safety catch.
The suspect was said to be brandishing a kitchen knife when he was confronted by two officers at about 8.50am on Monday at Horse Guards Parade in London.
The officer who aimed at the man is understood to have pulled the trigger twice but was using a new-model Glock pistol with a dual safety catch and had forgotten to release one of the mechanisms.
The officers had been stationed at the parade ground, where Trooping the Colour is held every year, when the knifeman approached them.
He allegedly tried to stab one of the officers, who fell to the ground and repeatedly kicked out to protect himself from the knife before the other incapacitated the attacker with a Taser and restrained him.
The incident, which the Metropolitan police yesterday stressed was not considered to be linked to terrorism, prompted a heavy police presence and the closure of Whitehall, the main thoroughfare from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, and the deployment of a bomb disposal team.
Whitehall is home to the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office and is under round-the-clock armed guard.
One employee at a nearby souvenir stand told MailOnline: “I heard a lot of noise and looked outside, and the police and army were on the street.
“They seemed to be looking at a bike that was nearby and someone said they were checking out a suspicious parcel on it.”
A waitress at a restaurant a short distance from the crime scene said: “We had only been open for an hour or so and had a few customers for breakfast when the police came in and told everyone to stay inside.
“They just said there had been an incident and it was safer to stay indoors but then ten minutes later they came back and told everyone to leave as there was a suspicious package.”
Prashanth Kandhaiah, 29, has been charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article and appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court yesterday, where he wore a grey T-shirt, thought to be prison issue.
Kandhaiah, of Thamesmead, southeast London, pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody before a preliminary hearing at Southwark crown court on May 17.
In a statement released before the hearing, Scotland Yard said: “At around 8.50am, a 29-year-old man, who was armed with a knife, confronted two Ministry of Defence police officers.
“[A] Taser was deployed and the man was restrained by officers. There were no reports of any injuries.
“An investigation is under way. Met officers will continue to liaise closely with the Ministry of Defence police as it progresses.”
Locked safety catch on police officer’s gun saved knifeman at Horse Guards Parade
John Simpson
, Crime Correspondent
Wednesday April 20 2022, 12.01am, The Times
The incident prompted a heavy police presence and the closure of Whitehall in London
HENRY NICHOLLS/REUTERS
Share
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...knifeman-london-horse-guards-parade-lrpmjz8sf
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A man narrowly escaped being shot dead after allegedly charging at armed police officers with a blade drawn.
An officer from the Ministry of Defence police drew his pistol and pulled the trigger but had failed to release the gun’s safety catch.
The suspect was said to be brandishing a kitchen knife when he was confronted by two officers at about 8.50am on Monday at Horse Guards Parade in London.
The officer who aimed at the man is understood to have pulled the trigger twice but was using a new-model Glock pistol with a dual safety catch and had forgotten to release one of the mechanisms.
The officers had been stationed at the parade ground, where Trooping the Colour is held every year, when the knifeman approached them.
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He allegedly tried to stab one of the officers, who fell to the ground and repeatedly kicked out to protect himself from the knife before the other incapacitated the attacker with a Taser and restrained him.
The incident, which the Metropolitan police yesterday stressed was not considered to be linked to terrorism, prompted a heavy police presence and the closure of Whitehall, the main thoroughfare from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, and the deployment of a bomb disposal team.
Whitehall is home to the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office and is under round-the-clock armed guard.
One employee at a nearby souvenir stand told MailOnline: “I heard a lot of noise and looked outside, and the police and army were on the street.
“They seemed to be looking at a bike that was nearby and someone said they were checking out a suspicious parcel on it.”
A waitress at a restaurant a short distance from the crime scene said: “We had only been open for an hour or so and had a few customers for breakfast when the police came in and told everyone to stay inside.
“They just said there had been an incident and it was safer to stay indoors but then ten minutes later they came back and told everyone to leave as there was a suspicious package.”
Prashanth Kandhaiah, 29, has been charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article and appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court yesterday, where he wore a grey T-shirt, thought to be prison issue.
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Kandhaiah, of Thamesmead, southeast London, pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody before a preliminary hearing at Southwark crown court on May 17.
In a statement released before the hearing, Scotland Yard said: “At around 8.50am, a 29-year-old man, who was armed with a knife, confronted two Ministry of Defence police officers.
“[A] Taser was deployed and the man was restrained by officers. There were no reports of any injuries.
“An investigation is under way. Met officers will continue to liaise closely with the Ministry of Defence police as it progresses.”