Man shot dead by police at point-blank range ‘called 999 himself’, watchdog reveals
25 April 2025, 16:53
A man who was shot dead by police at a railway station may have called 999 himself claiming there was a ‘suspicious’ gunman.
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David Joyce, 38, was shot at close range by an armed officer at Milton Keynes railway station on 1 April after police responded to reports of a man carrying a gun.
But the man, who was armed with a knife, might have called the police on himself.
An investigation into his death by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has linked Joyce to a phone number that had called 999 to report a gunman at the station.
The call handler rang back after the caller hung up and spoke to the same man who said the male gunman was acting suspiciously and "definitely" had a gun, the IOPC said.
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Records show the mobile phone number used to make the 999 call had been used to call police before and was linked to Joyce, according to the watchdog.
Meanwhile, CCTV footage shows Mr Joyce making a phone call at the same time the 999 call to police was made, the IOPC said.
When the police arrived, Joyce ran at two officers while brandishing a steak knife with a 12cm blade, the watchdog said.
Joyce, who lived in Milton Keynes but was originally from Galway in the Republic of Ireland, was then shot at close range by a Thames Valley Police officer from the armed response unit who were first on the scene.
IOPC director Derrick Campbell said: "We again extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of David Joyce and all those affected by this incident.
"We continue to keep his family informed of our progress.
"Our investigators are working hard to piece together the circumstances leading up to Mr Joyce being shot by a police officer and have already carried out a significant amount of inquiries.
The IOPC said they have taken accounts from the officers involved, gathered a large amount of CCTV from inside and outside the station and obtained the officer's body-worn video and police vehicle dashcam footage.
The watchdog has also completed house-to-house inquiries at nearby properties and taken statements from members of the public who witnessed the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing while all officers who attended the incident remain as witnesses as there is no indication any of them may have committed a criminal office or breached police professional standards of behaviour, the IOPC added.
An inquest into Mr Joyce's death was opened and adjourned at Milton Keynes Coroner's Court on Thursday April 10, with a full hearing to follow after the investigation concludes, the watchdog added.
The preliminary cause of death given was a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.
