Streatham terrorist died after being shot in neck and abdomen, inquest hears

Will Taylor
·News Reporter
Updated ·2 min read
BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout file photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of Sudesh Amman, as an inquest is due to open on Wednesday into the death of the Streatham terrorist.
Sudesh Amman's inquest opens today. (Met Police/PA Images)

The Streatham terrorist Sudesh Amman died after being shot in the neck and abdomen, an inquest has heard.

The 20-year-old fanatic was shot dead by armed police after he launched his knife attack in Streatham High Road in February, days after being released from prison.

His attack, which left two people injured and hurt another person as police intervened to stop him, prompted MPs to rush through legislation stopping terror prisoners from being released from jail halfway through their sentence.

Speaking at the inquest into Amman’s death on Wednesday, senior coroner Andrew Harris told Southwark Coroner’s Court: “At this stage it is not clear but it may be useful to point out that if the scope was to explore decisions made by intelligence services that would touch matters of national security.

“If the process was likely to need to look at those matters there may be a need for me to apply for a High Court judge to hear the inquest.”

The inquest heard Amman was identified by his mother after he died, and a post mortem recorded that he died of shock and haemorrhage and gunshot wounds to the neck and abdomen.

File photo dated 02/02/20 of police at the scene in Streatham High Road, south London after 20-year-old terrorist Sudesh Amman was shot dead by armed officers. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who are investigating how counter-terrorism officers came to shoot Amman, have found he was killed when two police marksmen fired a total of six shots.
Police at the scene in Streatham High Road, south London. (PA Images)

Amman, who was under 24-hour surveillance, took a knife from a store in Streatham High Road at about 2pm on February 3 before removing the blade and stabbing a woman in her 50s in her back.

He then stabbed a man outside the White Lion pub up the road as armed officers chased him down.

Another woman, in her 20s, was injured during the incident, possibly from broken glass after police fired at the terrorist, who wore a fake suicide vest.

Police activity at the scene following the terror attack in Streatham High Road, south London by Sudesh Amman, 20, who was shot dead by armed police following what police declared as a terrorist-related incident.
Police activity at the scene following the terror attack in Streatham. (PA Images)

Amman ran towards Streatham Hill train station as people but was shot dead outside a Boots branch, 100 metres from the shop where his attack started.

Footage from the scene shows armed officers keeping their weapons trained on Amman as he flailed on the ground, and an officer can be seen kicking the knife away before rushing back after spotting the fake bomb vest.

The three injured people were all treated in hospital.

Amman was released halfway through his jail term for distributing terror documents.