In south London, police have shot and killed a man who had broken into a home brandishing weapons, including a crossbow. Bryce Hodgson had been banned from entering the road where he was shot and had previously been convicted of stalking, receiving a 16-week suspended jail term last July. The 30-year-old forced his way into a home in Surrey Quays and threatened those inside, wearing body armour while brandishing knives, hatchets, swords and the aforementioned crossbow. Police are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for the shooting.
Hodgson’s criminal history preceded this violent act he committed Tuesday, as he had previously been convicted of stalking and violating the street he would later be shot in. Despite being previously under supervision, Hodgson’s entry into the Surrey Quays home was anything but peaceful. He was draped in body armor, and his bag was filled with dangerous items like a knife, sword, hatchet, and, of course, the crossbow. Police were quick to arrive on the scene and were soon pointing their guns at Hodgson, who was not deterred by their presence and the standoff ended with Hodgson’s untimely death.
The IOPC is investigating the incident to ensure that the police were acting within their legal boundaries. The IOPC has recently been reviewing the use of lethal force by UK police officers after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the United States at the hands of police brought the issue to the forefront of the discussion. Hodgson was known to the authorities before this incident, having already been convicted of a crime and banned from the area he would later be shot in. The authorities will need to take this information into consideration as they consider whether or not the police response was appropriate.
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