Overview

• A jury at Coventry Coroner’s Court ruled the 2019 police shooting of Sean Fitzgerald, 31, as a lawful killing with a majority 10-1 verdict.
• Sean Fitzgerald, unarmed at the time, was fatally shot in the chest during a West Midlands Police operation targeting a suspected organised crime gang.
• The officer who fired the fatal shot, referred to as Officer K and granted anonymity, may face gross misconduct proceedings as directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
• The IOPC determined there was insufficient evidence to refer the case for criminal charges but found potential breaches of professional standards in the officer’s use of force.
• West Midlands Police issued formal condolences to Fitzgerald’s family and pledged to review the inquest findings to improve future armed operations.