Murder of Matt Ratana
 Croydon Custody Centre, scene of the shooting | |
| Date | 25 September 2020 |
|---|---|
| Location | Croydon, London, United Kingdom |
| Type | Shooting |
| Convicted | Louis de Zoysa |
| Charges | Murder |
| Sentence | Life imprisonment (whole life order) |
Matiu Ratana (3 May 1966 – 25 September 2020) was a New Zealand-born British police sergeant who was shot dead inside a police custody facility in London on 25 September 2020. He was nearing retirement having served in the Metropolitan Police for nearly 30 years when he became the first police officer to be fatally shot in the UK since the murders of Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone in 2012.
Background
Ratana was born in the Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand and was of Māori descent. Born Matiu Ratana, he was known as Matt to his family and colleagues. He moved to England in 1989, working for the Metropolitan Police for nearly 30 years. Ratana had also served with New Zealand Police joining the British High Commission Wing in 2003 and serving in the Auckland City and Counties Manukau police districts before returning to the UK in 2008.
Incident
On the morning of 25 September 2020, a 23-year-old man was arrested for drugs offences and possession of ammunition and taken to the Croydon Custody Centre in a police vehicle. While Sgt Matt Ratana was approaching the suspect, Louis De Zoysa, to assist in a search, De Zoysa shot him, before being tackled to the ground. Ratana was taken to hospital, where he died from gunshot wounds. No police firearms were discharged during the incident. A non-police revolver was recovered from the scene, which had been missed in the initial pat-down of the subject. The suspect was in handcuffs during the incident, with his hands behind his back. CCTV captured the incident taking place. The weapon was an Colt .41 Model 1895 'Navy' double action revolver, which De Zoysa had holstered under his armpit.
Investigation
The background of the suspect is being investigated by authorities. The suspect had previously been referred to the Prevent programme, an anti-extremism programme developed by the government in an attempt to prevent individuals from joining extremist groups and carrying out terrorist activities. Several crime scenes were established, a cordon was put in place around the Anderson Heights block of flats in Norbury, and a controlled explosion took place in one of the crime scenes in Banstead, Surrey.
Louis De Zoysa, aged 23, was arrested on 13 November 2020 on suspicion of murdering a police officer, when he was considered well enough though still requiring hospital treatment after himself being wounded by one of the bullets fired during the shooting. On 29 June 2021, he was deemed well enough to be formally charged with murder. On 28 April 2023, Louis De Zoysa pleaded not guilty to the murder whilst appearing via video link from hospital at Northampton Crown Court. De Zoysa was due to stand trial at Northampton on 6 June 2023. De Zoysa's lawyer argued that De Zoysa, who suffered from Asperger syndrome, was experiencing an 'autistic meltdown' at the time of the shooting and was, therefore, not guilty of murder.
Following his trial at Northampton Crown Court, De Zoysa was convicted of murder on 23 June 2023. He was sentenced on 27 July 2023 to life imprisonment with a whole life order.