Streatham attack: Police officer describes moment he ‘locked eyes’ with terrorist

Inquest hears Sudesh Amman ran towards police surveillance team with knife

A police officer who shot dead a terrorist has described how he feared for his life as he confronted the attacker on a south London street.

Sudesh Amman, 20, stabbed a man and a woman on Streatham High Road in February last year before running at surveillance officers.

The armed officer, called BX75 to protect his identity, was part of a nine-man team tracking Amman following his release from HMP Belmarsh 10 days earlier.

"I saw him, he saw me – I am 100 per cent confident we locked eyes," he told the inquest into Amman’s death.

"It was my immediate assessment I was making my way as fast as possible towards him, him towards me, the point of impact was very, very soon."

Jonathan Hough QC, counsel to the inquest, asked: "What did you think?"

BX75 replied: "I thought he was going to stab me – and kill me. Certainly, seriously injure me."

He then fired one shot at Amman, who was holding a "large butcher's knife", the Royal Courts of Justice heard.

A CCTV still showing Sudesh Amman on his way to commit the Streatham terror attack (Metropolitan Police)

Amman was shot a second time by BX75's colleague, identified as BX87, then fell to the ground after being shot again by BX75, the inquest was told. He was later pronounced dead.

"I was convinced he was making a decision there and then who to attack next," BX75 said.

"He was so close to me that I was in immediate fear of my life. I fired a shot in his chest area.

"He was moving towards me and to the side. He was in my immediate personal space. His action was always going to beat my reaction, if I let him beat my next move.”

Footage from the scene captured him sprinting along Streatham High Road with a knife he had stolen from Low Price Store, stabbing a man and a woman as he went, with the two officers giving chase. He turned to confront the officers outside Boots a minute later where he was shot in the neck and abdomen.

The officers fired six shots between them, with two striking Amman.

The inquest previously heard how Amman, who had been living in a bail hostel in Streatham, was deemed to be "one of the most dangerous individuals" that police and MI5 teams had investigated.

There was also intelligence that he had maintained an extremist mindset, wanted to carry out a knife attack and pledged allegiance to the leader of Islamic State. The inquest continues.

Press Association