CCTV reveals moments before fatal shooting of police officer in Croydon
Newly released CCTV and body-cam footage offers insight into the moments before and after the fatal shooting of Sergeant Matt Ratana in September 2020. Louis De Zoysa, now 25 years old, stands accused of killing Ratana with an antique revolver at a custody centre in Croydon, south London. The footage, shown during De Zoysa’s murder trial, captures the suspect being stopped and searched on London Road, Norbury, before jumping to the moments surrounding the tragic incident.
The video displays De Zoysa being apprehended by two officers after the shooting, with the gun being kicked away. The jury at Northampton Crown Court viewed the footage in its entirety on Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, jury members were permitted to fire the alleged weapon, loaded with dummy bullets, under the guidance of forensic scientist Anthony Miller.
Miller stated that the gun did not discharge during his own extensive testing. According to prosecutors, De Zoysa, who was 23 years old at the time, deliberately shot Sergeant Ratana in the chest without warning, likely having concealed the revolver and a holster under one of his armpits. The weapon had not been found during the initial stop-and-search procedure.
The first two shots struck Ratana, while the third hit a wall during a struggle with officers, and the fourth injured De Zoysa in the neck. De Zoysa has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. His defence counsel argued on Wednesday that De Zoysa experienced an autistic meltdown during the shooting. Appearing in court on Thursday, De Zoysa was in a wheelchair with his right arm in a sling. The trial is ongoing.
