UK shooting victim did not fire at police
BRENDAN TREMBATH: The riots have already inflamed social tensions in the UK and now there's a development that's likely to fuel more anger.
An independent commission is investigating the police shooting of Mark Duggan whose death sparked the revolts.
It's found no evidence that he shot at police, and there's now growing criticism of the way the police dealt with Mr Duggan's family in the wake of his death.
Lexi Metherell reports.
LEXI METHERELL: Initially it was reported that there'd been an exchange of fire between Mark Duggan and police officers who'd been following him as part of an operation.
But now after forensic tests of a non-police handgun found at the scene it seems that wasn't the case.
The independent police complaints commissioner, Rachel Cerfontyne.
RACHEL CERFONTYNE: At this stage there is no evidence that the handgun found at the scene was fired during the incident.
LEXI METHERELL: At some stage during the incident last Thursday a bullet landed in a police officer's radio.
The independent commission has now confirmed that it was a police-issue bullet that came from a Metropolitan Police Service gun.
It's not yet clear how that happened. Some reports have speculated that it may have ricocheted off Mark Duggan's body.
Rachel Cerfontyne says the investigation is continuing.
RACHEL CERFONTYNE: Two shots were fired by one CO19 firearms officer.
A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Duggan was killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest.
He also received a second gunshot wound to his right bicep.
LEXI METHERELL: Mark Duggan was a father of four.
His shocked partner Semone Wilson says he would never have shot at police.
SEMONE WILSON: I know Mark. Mark's not going to do that. 100 per cent, 100 per cent. They're portraying Mark to be a gangster. Mark is not a gangster.
LEXI METHERELL: She was part of the initial march in Tottenham that took place after his death.
A rally was held in front of the local police station and she and his family wanted answers, but they got nothing.
FRANK CROWE: For the two days like no-one in his family had been told that the police had shot Mark.
LEXI METHERELL: Frank Crowe says he knew Mark Duggan for 20 years. He spoke from London to Rafael Epstein of ABC Local Radio.
FRANK CROWE: They just went down there for answers, and like the mum was left - like the mum and girlfriend, like to his kids, was left to stand there for five hours without, you know, being approached by not one policeman.
RAFAEL EPSTEIN: So they were waiting outside the police station?
FRANK CROWE: Yeah, and like, you know, that it was kind of like not a protest, it was like more they just wanted answers.
So, you know, there was someone with a mic and a speaker talking to the people. You know, people, like, they want justice over it and like there was just no acknowledgement from the police.
LEXI METHERELL: It's not the Metropolitan Police Service's finest hour.
Not only is it under fire for its handling of the riots and for the shooting death, the independent police complaints commission has also criticised it for failing to tell Mark Duggan's family what happened to him.
The service has now apologised to the family, but it seems too late to quell the anger that is spilling over as the mayor of London Boris Johnson found when he returned from holidays and tried to address people in Clapham.
BORIS JOHNSON: …many more police on the streets.
CLAPHAM MAN: What about Mark Duggan? What about the response to his family?
(Noise from crowd gets louder)
BORIS JOHNSON: We are going to make sure - we are going to make sure - ah no, by the way, can I just - that's a very good point.
LEXI METHERELL: The local Labour MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, says police and political leaders were too slow to recognise the angst that Mark Duggan's death roused.
DAVID LAMMY: And that is unacceptable given that obviously the public expectation is that people recognised the importance of the situation once it had happened on Thursday.
LEXI METHERELL: Mark Duggan's death may have been a catalyst for the chaos that's spread across the UK. but Semone Wilson says that violence has nothing to do with her partner's death.
SEMONE WILSON: It's got out of hand. But it's gone way past - it's not connected to this anymore, I don't think.
It's got nothing to do with the march. This is out of control. It's out of control.
BRENDAN TREMBATH: Mark Duggan's partner Semone Wilson ending that report by Lexi Metherell.
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