CCTV footage of Streatham terrorist’s final moments shown at inquest
Sudesh Amman, 20, was shot dead by armed undercover police in broad daylight after going on a 62-second stabbing rampage in south London.
The dramatic final seconds of Sudesh Amman’s life have been shown at his inquest, including the moment he suddenly charged at police before being shot and writhing wildly on the ground where he later died.
The 20-year-old went on a 62-second stabbing rampage after stealing a knife from a shop on Streatham High Road in south London and stabbing two members of the public at random. They both survived.
His wanton violence was only brought to a halt when armed undercover police tailing him opened fire, shooting at him six times, hitting him twice at close range.
He closed the short distance between them – reckoned to be around one metre (3ft) – within half a second, just as he was shot.
Footage then showed Amman spending around 10 seconds lying on his back and flailing his arms and legs wildly before he stopped moving. He was declared dead 90 minutes later.
A police officer scrambled to the scene could be heard shouting: “He’s got a vest – move away.”
Council-operated CCTV directly above Boots, where Amman was fatally shot, showed the moment a bomb disposal expert arrived on scene around 40 minutes later, patting down Amman’s body and carefully removing his hoax suicide belt.
Jurors at Amman’s inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday saw video compiled from CCTV cameras and public transport, police body-worn footage, and evidence from members of the public showing the terrorist’s journey from his probation hostel in Streatham to the spot where he would be shot dead 30 minutes later.
One of the undercover officers described arriving on the scene and seeing Amman lying prone on the ground after being shot.
“His body was convulsing.
“He had what seemed to me an IED (improvised explosive device). I saw three cylinders wrapped in tape and wires.”
The inquest previously heard how Amman was deemed to be “one of the most dangerous individuals” that police and MI5 teams had investigated.
There was also intelligence that he maintained an extremist mindset, wanted to carry out a knife attack in the future, and pledged allegiance to the leader of so-called Islamic State.
He was seen buying four small bottles of Irn Bru, some parcel tape and kitchen foil from a nearby Poundland on January 31, prompting police to call an emergency meeting at which it was decided to ramp up security rather than arrest him amid concerns he might use the materials to fashion a suicide belt.
Amman struck two days later and was found wearing a “crude” explosive device replica, made out of the items he bought at Poundland.
The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday.
