Two men from Camberwell and a third from Kennington have been jailed after an incident in which a gun was waved in a police officer’s face.
Joshua Fasoro, 21, and Myiles Brown, 22, both from Camberwell were sent to prison for seven years and six months, and eight years respectively for having guns.
Mukhtar Khan, 23, from Kennington, was locked up for nine years for possession of a prohibited firearm and additionally convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.
A fourth man, 23-year-old Don-Juan Newman, from Stockwell, was also sent away for seven years and six months for gun possession.
The four men were convicted for an incident that took place after police were called to reports of a shooting in Woolwich in November 2020.
The court heard that in the early hours of November 3, 2020, the four men went to a recording studio on Woolwich Church Street, SE18 and police say three shots were fired at a group, injuring a woman and a man. Police were immediately called and began looking for the suspects.
Using police dogs, officers found their vehicle, which failed to stop and crashed into a parked car shortly after. Five men ran off, leaving behind two magazines containing live ammunition, three large Rambo knives and a machete.
Shocking body-worn footage, which was shown to the jury at Croydon Crown Court captured officer PC Elwood chasing Kennington resident Khan, who turned and pointed a semi-automatic handgun at him and his police dog, PD Cruz.
The officer later said he was scared but carried on running after Khan, who was was arrested shortly after by firearms officers in a nearby estate. Brown, Fasoro and Newman, were arrested by armed officers hiding nearby. The fifth man has still not been found and police say they are continuing to look for him.
PC Elwood said: “When the gun was pointed directly at my face my instant reaction was to turn away in fear, I thought I was about to be killed. However I continued to chase after them as they are dangerous individuals who needed removing from the streets. Had I not have continued to chase after them then they would have got away and still had access to a deadly firearm.
Exclusive: Bereaved sisters claim police have failed murdered brother Ola Raji
He praised the two police dogs who took part in the operation, calling them “instrumental”.
PC Elwood added: “One of the dogs found a discarded firearm and another played a significant role in capturing one of the suspects.
“I joined the police so I could stop violent and dangerous criminals who pose a risk to society from causing harm to communities and this case is a classic example of that.”
Khan, Brown, Fasoro and Newman were convicted of the gun crimes after a five week trial, but acquitted of attempted murder.