Giedrius’s daughters, mother and ex-partner were represented by Una Morris of Garden Court Chambers, leading Sophie Walker of One Pump Court Chambers. Counsel were instructed by Jag Bahra, Emily Hayman and Cyrilia Knight of Saunders Law.
Allison Munroe KC, leading Christian Weaver of Garden Court North, represented Sigita Vasiljeva, Giedruis’ wife and his son. Counsel were instructed by Oliver Carter, Aimee Brackfield and Sarika Sandhu of Irwin Mitchell.
The inquest into the fatal shooting of 40-year-old Lithuanian father Giedrius Vasiljevas concluded on 28 November 2025, following four weeks of evidence at East London Coroner’s Court.
Giedrius was fatally shot by a Metropolitan Police (MPS) firearms officer on the doorstep of his home on 23 November 2023, after calling the police for help. The evidence heard at the inquest highlighted serious flaws in communication within the police, and showed that out of eight firearms officers at the front of the address, only one reported seeing Giedrius pointing a gun – the officer who shot and killed him.
The Events That Led to Giedrius’s Death
Giedrius, who had long-term struggles with alcoholism and depression, contacted emergency services on 23 November 2023 while in distress. During the 999 call, he referred to possessing a firearm, but also described it as a fake or airsoft weapon. Officers in the armed response pod used video that Giedrius sent to them using the ‘GoodSAM’ app to view the guns. They established that the ‘beretta’ appeared to match an image of a CO2 powered ‘BB’ gun.
Evidence heard showed that no one passed on the information to the firearms officers outside that suggested the ‘beretta’ was not a real gun. When Giedrius stepped into the porch, officer MY78, positioned 27 metres away, issued commands but did not announce the presence of armed police. Within one second, MY78 fired a first shot, with the second fatal shot being fired just two seconds after that. The BB gun recovered from the scene was unloaded, and its magazine inserted incorrectly, rendering it incapable of being fired.
Giving evidence, MY78 claimed he saw Giedrius point a black handgun at police. None of the seven other firearms officers, who were all tasked with watching the doorway, had reported seeing Giedrius pointing a gun. Expert forensic video analysis could not confirm that Giedrius held anything other than a cigarette during the crucial moments.
The Inquest Conclusion
Following questioning by Una Morris on behalf of Giedrius’s daughters, mother and ex-partner challenging MY78’s evidence on his justification for shooting, the Senior Coroner accepted legal submissions on behalf of all of the represented members of Giedrius’s family to the effect that unlawful killing should be left to the jury.
While the jury concluded that Giedrius had been lawfully killed, they found failings in the firearms operation which possibly contributed to his death.
In answers to questions asked by Allison Munroe KC on behalf of Giedruis’s wife and son, the Tactical Firearms Commander would not accept the police firearms operation had been a failure and incompetently led.
After the jury had delivered their conclusions, Mr Graeme Irvine, Senior Coroner for East London, strongly criticised the armed operation. He was “particularly unimpressed” with the evidence of the Tactical Commander and described him as “overconfident”. He described the operation as “at times shambolic” and that there was a “critical breakdown in communication” between the different teams involved. He also described the evidence he heard from the police to be “quite shocking” and found their approach (save for one older officer) to giving their evidence to be “misguided“, and in his view “at times curt and unhelpful and lacked any meaningful reflection“.
The Coroner also criticised the lack of trained negotiators. Communications officers, who had no specialist negotiation training, led the interaction and reassured Giedrius that an ambulance would assist him if he exited the property. Evidence heard showed that nobody had explained to him that armed police would be outside expecting him to surrender himself.
The Coroner was also critical of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The IOPC had failed to secure Ring doorbell footage which would have provided crucial evidence.
Family’s Response
Concern has been expressed by the family about a MPS press release which gave the impression that Giedrius had been armed with a prohibited firearm, when the gun recovered outside the property was an unloaded CO2-powered ‘BB’ gun.
The same press release also suggested that the police had made efforts to convince Giedrius to leave the house to seek medical attention. It did not state that officers had misled Giedrius into believing that he would be met by an ambulance to get help, when in fact he was to be met by armed police.
Giedrius’s daughter Austeja said:
“We have always maintained that my dad never meant anyone any harm on the night he was killed. His actions were simply a cry for help. He co-operated with what the police wanted him to do and thanked them, but he was tricked into thinking they would be getting him help. MY78’s evidence does not add up and we find it deeply suspicious no other officer could back up his account, and some contradicted him completely. We struggle to see how my dad’s death could be considered lawful, but we agree with the Coroner’s comments that the evidence given by many of the police was “shocking”, and we think the Metropolitan Police still have serious questions to answer.
We are particularly upset that the Metropolitan Police are now giving the public the misleading impression that my dad was a dangerous criminal who had a lethal prohibited firearm, when in fact all he had were 2 unloaded air guns.”
Jag Bahra, senior associate solicitor at Saunders Law, who represents the family, said:
“MY78 was emphatic that he saw Giedrius point a gun in his direction causing him to fear for his life. However, not a single other officer said they saw a gun. Despite all seemingly having eyes on the exact spot that Giedrius was stood just prior to being shot and killed, many claimed to have witnessed what happened before the shooting and afterwards but not the critical moment. It was effectively a wall of silence.
The Metropolitan Police should be taking the Coroner’s comments at the end of the inquest very seriously indeed…We will continue to push for meaningful changes to the way these operations are run. No family should have to suffer what my clients have been through.”
Read INQUEST’s release here: Giedrius Vasiljevas inquest: Jury returns lawful killing conclusion; Coroner shocked by firearms officers’ evidence”
