UK - Gun Stand-Off On Rail Platform

[John Ashworth]

Gun Stand-Off On Rail Platform
6:16pm UK, Tuesday July 08, 2008

Armed police forced an innocent man to lie on a railway station platform while they trained their guns on him having mistaken him for an armed robber.

Around 10 officers from Dorset police swooped on Bournemouth station after receiving a tip-off that an armed robbery suspect was on a train.

The 21-year-old was ordered to lie face-down on the ground before being taken away for interrogation.

However, he was later released without charge after police realised they had got the wrong man.

A Dorset police spokesman said no shots were fired and no-one was injured.

He added that the force remained in contact with the man and had offered him the appropriate support.

The incident came nearly three years after Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead by officers at Stockwell Tube station in London after being mistaken for a terrorist.

A Dorset police spokesman said the force had voluntarily referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

He added: "Dorset Police has apologised to the man and his family. The force is also providing on-going support to the family with the appointment of a dedicated family liaison officer."

He explained that the man was detained by the armed officers and taken to Bournemouth police station.

He added: "It quickly became clear that it was a case of mistaken identity and he was released immediately."

An inquest into the death of Mr de Menezes will take place in September and is expected to last at least 12 weeks.

Sky News