Family of asylum seeker shot after hotel stabbings call for review of police actions

Relatives of an asylum seeker who was shot and killed after he stabbed six people at a hotel have asked for an expert review of police actions that day.

Badreddin Abdalla Adam Bosh, 28, attacked his victims at Glasgow city centre’s Park Inn on June 26, 2020.

A probe into his death heard police were unaware the hotel housed asylum seekers at the time.

Officers had attempted to use non-lethal weapons to disarm Mr Bosh during the incident before he was shot and killed.

The Sudanese national was one of hundreds of refugees moved from flats to hotels at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic before concerns were raised about the mental health of often vulnerable individuals.

Three asylum seekers, two hotel workers, and police officer David Whyte – who had responded to the emergency call – were injured by Mr Bosh during the attack.

A second preliminary hearing took place at Glasgow Sheriff Court in preparation for the full inquiry, which will take place at a later date.

An FAI is a public examination of the circumstances of a death in the public interest before a Sheriff, which does not apportion blame or fault.

Mark Stewart KC, representing Mr Bosh’s next of kin, told the hearing that an expert report from an ex-Met police superintendent has been arranged.

He said: “My purpose is not to seek to put forward an alternative version of events but to be clear and thorough and review what happened.

“Also, it is to see whether or not what the previous statements tell us are a correct and accurate version of the tactical options that were available and the various decisions that were taken.

“Once that report is supplied, if there are any difficulties, these will be matters which will be focused.

“The expert has been involved in these kinds of reviews before.”

Mr Stewart also confirmed that Mr Bosh was in communication with his brother, which included WhatsApp messages that have been lodged with the inquiry.

Shelagh McCall KC, acting for the Scottish Police Federation, later told the hearing: “The police officers had no knowledge that the hotel housed asylum seekers at the relevant time.

“The first issue is if it was intimated to Police Scotland that there was an opportunity for community policing to engage with staff and residents at the hotel.

“It is my understanding that community policing can address issues before they are escalated.

“It may be a matter to explore that advanced knowledge of who was housed in the hotel would provide some information to those dealing with an incident.”

Advocate depute Alan Cameron KC earlier stated to the hearing that work will begin on drafting a joint minute of agreement to reduce the length of the inquiry.

A previous hearing had been told that there are at least 83 witnesses due to appear at the official probe, which could take place next year.

A number of organisations will be represented at the inquiry including the Scottish Ambulance Service, Glasgow City Council, the Mears Group and the Home Office.

A continued preliminary hearing was fixed for September this year by Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar.

She said: “We will not be fixing a date [for the inquiry] – at the next hearing we may be in a position to identify a date.”