Yassar Yaqub: Police chief says fatal shooting on M62 in Yorkshire was 'necessary' as inquest ends

A senior West Yorkshire Police officer has said that the fatal shooting by his force of Yassar Yaqub on the M62 near Huddersfield was a ‘necessary’ response to a ‘dangerous situation’

The 28-year-old, who the inquest heard was a known criminal, died when a police firearms officer shot him during a stop of his car near Ainley Top in 2017.

The operation was linked to an investigation into organised crime and drugs, and the inquest has now concluded that the killing was lawful.

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A jury decided that the unnamed officer believed Yaqub was aiming a gun at him and that his life was in danger.

Yassar YaqubYassar Yaqub
Yassar Yaqub

West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Johin Robins’ statement read: "The loss of life in any circumstances is, of course, tragic and our sympathies remain with the Yaqub family for the loss of their loved one.

"But I also want to acknowledge how difficult the past five to six years have also been for the officers and staff who were directly involved.

"This has been a constant in their lives, from the incident itself, the criminal prosecutions, the investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and finally the recent inquest itself.

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"During the IOPC investigation, officers and staff were rightly treated as witnesses throughout.

"The outcome of that investigation did not raise any criminal or misconduct issues for any officers or staff.

"During the inquest I followed the daily proceedings. My overwhelming impression was of the professionalism, knowledge, expertise and compassion displayed by all the officers and staff involved.

"I hope that people will now see that the tragic loss of life, unfortunate as it was, was necessary to keep the public safe in what was a rapidly unfolding and dangerous situation.

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"It is thankfully rare that any police action results in the death of an individual. When it does, it is right that we are open to full scrutiny, just as in this case.

"The actions of all involved have been scrutinised by both the IOPC and now by a jury before a coroner.

"The inquest has provided a clear and transparent understanding of what happened. Our sole intention was to safely detain Mr Yaqub and to remove illegally held firearms from our streets.

"However, as events rapidly unfolded, it is obvious that the threat at the time was real and as a result an officer had to take the necessary and proportionate action.

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"Firearms officers perform a highly skilled and incredibly demanding role. They are brave and courageous people, who keep us all safe.

"I believe the individuals who make up West Yorkshire Police’s firearms teams are amongst the best in the world. It is a job that carries a huge responsibility and sometimes means making the hardest of all decisions.

"Police officers and staff face dangers every day to keep the public safe. I am proud of them and the work they do.

"But they can only do it with the support and understanding of all of the communities we serve and I remain committed to policing being professional, open and transparent.

"So, I hope that the inquest has helped explain in detail what occurred in the lead up to the death of Mr Yaqub."