Man With Knife Shot Dead By Police

5 September 2014, 11:39 | Updated: 5 September 2014, 11:58

Met Police have shot dead a man who was threatening a woman with a knife in north London.

Firearms officers and negotiators were called to Shepperton Road in Islington at 11.15pm yesterday (Thursday 4 September) following reports of a man breaking into a property.

A number of shots were fired at around 1am.

Scotland Yard said the 40-year-old man died on his way to hospital - around 20 minutes later.

Detectives say the woman was not harmed but has been treated for shock.

It is believed the pair knew each other.

Today investigators from watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission were at the scene of the shooting.

Lyssa Barber, a neighbour who works in recruitment for a bank in the City, said: "I was woken up to shouts and immediately afterwards to what sounded like four or five bangs. They were gunshots.

"I think I heard five gunshots, but a gunshot in real life doesn't sound like it does on TV. It sounded like loud bangs on a door. Bang, bang, bang. Then I realised, if it's somebody banging on the door, why can I hear it?

"We saw the ambulance and police. There were eight police vehicles I could see from my window, and I saw five armed officers.

"The ambulance arrived as I was looking out of my window. Police came out of the house. We could see someone being led away. I'm fairly sure they were wearing pink and had to be supported by officers."

She said she was shocked such a scene could unfold on her doorstep.

She said: "I think a couple lived in the house. I think they were middle-aged, maybe in their 50s.

"It's happening right outside my house and it's the sort of thing you read about in the papers."

Neighbours said police cordoned off the street last night and were stopping some residents from returning to their homes. Shortly afterwards they heard gunshots.

A 36-year-old man, who works in advertising but did not want to be named, said: "I arrived home and saw police, who escorted me to my house. Some other residents weren't allowed back into their homes.

"I saw armed officers, those special police who had arms on. I saw around three or four of them.

"Later when I was inside my house I heard shots.

"I looked outside my window ... she was in her 40s and 50s wearing pyjamas with a pink blanket wrapped around her."

The street remains cordoned off with more than a dozen police officers are still at the scene and a nursery in the street is closed.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "As in any shooting, officers from the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) have been informed and this incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)."