Inquest Hears How Birmingham Man Shot Dead By Armed Police In His Bedroom

26 March 2019, 16:09 | Updated: 26 March 2019, 16:12

A 52-year-old man was fatally shot by armed police in a bedroom at his flat in Birmingham, an inquest has heard.

Trevor Alton Smith died at the scene after a single gunshot was discharged on March 15 at a block of flats in Lee Bank, Birmingham.

A team of six West Midlands Police firearms officers were executing a warrant on the fourth floor of the building in Wheeleys Lane when the incident happened.

The officers "used an enforcer" to get into the property where they saw Birmingham City supporter Mr Smith in his bedroom, the inquest heard.

Ambulance crews were called to the flat by police at 5.04am and investigators from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) were notified by the force of a police shooting just before 6am.

Birmingham Coroner's Court heard the divorced van driver's post-mortem confirmed he died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Reading a brief statement at the inquest opener, Frances Gwilliam of the IOPC said a firearm was recovered from the scene.

Ms Gwilliam added that the IOPC investigation and report would be completed by the end of the year.

Speaking from the witness box on Tuesday, she said: "Officers saw Mr Smith in the bedroom. He did not move out of the bedroom and he was fatally shot by an officer."

At the hearing on Tuesday, Mr Smith's mother and sister were told his body could now be released to them and they could go ahead with his funeral.

Coroner Louise Hunt said although an inquest does not seek to attribute blame, it will "check things were done that should have been done".

Mr Smith's death was the second fatal shooting this year involving the force's armed officers, after 31-year-old Sean Fitzgerald was shot once in the chest during an incident in Coventry in January.

The coroner provisionally listed the inquest for February 3 next year.