Police officer won’t face charges for fatal park shooting

Police cordon at the Haaksbergen crash site
Photo: Depositphotos.com

The police officer who shot dead a 21-year-old man in a park in Schiedam on May 30 will not face charges, the public prosecution department said on Wednesday.

The officer followed police guidelines when he drew and used his weapon, the department said after a lengthy investigation. The dead man’s family had made a formal complaint about the shooting, saying it had not been justified.

The investigation also confirmed earlier suspicions that dead man had sought confrontation with the police.

He reported having been robbed and shot at while out in the park and gave a description of himself as the perpetrator. The police officer then spotted him and thought he was the robber because he matched the description.

As he tried to arrest him, the young man charged at him and the police officer fired his gun once. He died at the scene.

‘The suspicion that the young man… deliberately sought confrontation with the police is supported by comments which he had made to people close to him, which can be taken as an intended goodbye,’ the department statement said.

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