Menezes police 'out of control '

Last Updated: Monday, 03 November 2008, 13:25 GMT

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Menezes police 'out of control'

A woman sitting near Jean Charles de Menezes on a Tube train when he was shot dead has told how police were "out of control".

Commuter Anna Dunwoodie told the inquest into the Brazilian's death how she was "very, very clear" officers did not shout armed police before opening fire.

Ms Dunwoodie also said she thought firearms officers were a gang, as she described a "sense of panic" from officers as Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head.

Revealing how she felt under pressure during initial interviews with police after the incident, she described how the innocent 27-year-old appeared calm as a gun was held to his head.

Ms Dunwoodie was sat two or three seats to the left of Mr de Menezes when he boarded the train at Stockwell Tube station, south London.

She said she never heard officers shout anything at Mr de Menezes, adding: "I would like to say that on whether I heard anything from police officers, I am very, very clear.

"I had absolutely no idea who they were and had they shouted I would have latched on to that."

She described scenes of panic on the carriage.

Mr de Menezes was shot at point-blank range at Stockwell Tube station on July 22 2005 after being mistaken for failed bomber Hussain Osman.

Mr de Menezes had his eyes closed and looked "almost calm" as firearms officers pointed a weapon at his head, Ms Dunwoodie said.

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