Firearms officer tells inquiry he shot Park Inn asylum seeker to 'protect life' after stabbings

Two firearms officers told an inquiry how they killed an asylum seeker who stabbed five people at a hotel.

The witnesses gave evidence at the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) of 28-year-old Badreddin Abdalla Adam Bosh.

Bosh had earlier attacked his victims with a five-inch blade at Glasgow city centre’s Park Inn on June 26, 2020.

Police had attempted to use non-lethal weapons to disarm Bosh during the incident before he was shot dead.

The Sudanese national was one of hundreds of refugees moved from flats to hotels at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This was a move that raised concerns about the mental health of often vulnerable individuals.

Three asylum seekers, two hotel workers and PC David Whyte – a first responder – were Bosh’s victims during the attack.

The sixth day of the FAI took place at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Officer two, as he was described to the probe, stated that he was armed with a carbine, handgun and taser that day.

He stated that he saw blood outside the hotel as he went inside after 1.10pm.

The officer added that there were “pools and dots of blood” near the bar area.

The officer came across members of the public in the hotel who he described as “very frightened.”

Bosh was located on a stairwell by the two firearms officers, wearing a bloodstained bandana and carrying a knife.

He was stated to have looked “agitated”, breathing heavily and had “wide eyes.”

The officer claimed that he thought about going for his taser but did not deem it appropriate due to the “high level of risk.”

Colleague Officer Four is stated to have told Bosh to “stay back”, but he ran towards him with the knife.

Advocate depute Alan Cameron KC asked Officer Two what he did next.

The officer replied: “At that point, I’m not entirely sure, as it moved very quickly.

“I think Officer Four opened fire first. I basically opened fire on the subject.”

Mr Cameron asked: “Why did you open fire?”

Officer Two replied: “At that point, my belief was that he was lunging towards Officer Four while in possession of a knife.

“My belief was that he would stab Officer Four. I tried to protect his right to life, and I opened fire.”

The officer added that he was aware that another officer had already been stabbed by Bosh.

When asked why he shot Mr Bosh more than once, the officer replied: “I felt there was a threat to Officer Four…I continued to fire until that was no longer the case.

“That was the case until the subject fell to the floor and he was no longer a threat.”

The officers then put handcuffs on Bosh before carrying out first aid and calling for medical assistance.

Officer Four told the probe in his evidence that when asked to explain his actions, he said: “He [Bosh] was about to commit an action which endangered my life, which was attacking me with a knife, and there was no other way to prevent that.”

Under cross-examination by Bosh’s family lawyer, Mark Stewart KC, Officer Four stated that he pulled the trigger five times, which lasted around one second.

The probe also watched CCTV of the incident, which showed an explosion of smoke once the shots were fired.

The inquiry continues before Sheriff Stuart Reid.