Met cop Matt Ratana’s final moments before he was ‘gunned down by handcuffed man, 25, with pistol in police station’
MET cop Matt Ratana's final moments before he was said to be gunned down by a handcuffed man in a police station have been shown to a court.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, produced an antique revolver from a concealed leather underarm holster while handcuffed behind his back and opened fire at the veteran cop from point-blank range.
CCTV showed De Zoysa swivelling to his right, lifting the back of his jacket and pulling out the gun with his right hand and then firing in one swift movement in a cell at the custody suite in Croydon, South London.
A silver flash from the gun was visible as Sgt Ratana, 54, fell backwards when he was hit in the chest by the bullet - seeing two other cops in the cell swarm on De Zoysa.
Moments before shooting, De Zoysa had said: "This is it, this is it.” after being ordered to stand up by Sgt Ratana.
Northampton crown court heard how De Zoysa fired four times with the antique gun which he purchased legally on the internet.
Three shots were fired in quick succession, one second apart from each other, in the early hours of 25 September 2020.
The first fatal shot was fired at 02.09.27, the second hit the Met sergeant in the thigh and the third struck a cell wall.
De Zoysa's final bullet 16 seconds later was fired as he grappled with an officer.
The shot struck the defendant in the left side of his face between his neck and ear causing life-threatening injuries and brain damage.
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Sgt Ratana was dragged out of the cell by other officers who ran into the cell to try and help their colleagues.
One of them yelled at De Zoysa: “You f***ing prick. You piece of s***.”
De Zoysa today appeared in the dock in a wheelchair with his right arm in a sling for the first day of his trial. He denies murder.
Prosecutor Duncan Penny delivered his opening speech in short sentences, explaining to jurors it was because of communication difficulties experienced by De Zoysa.
A CCTV montage was played to the jury showing the countdown to the shooting after De Zoysa left his home at a farm in Banstead, Surrey, where the court heard he manufactured bullets for his gun.
He took two buses to Norbury, South London, where his parents live, and was stopped on London Road by police and searched on suspicion of being a burglar.
A white plastic bag of cannabis was found in a holdall De Zoysa was carrying and he was handcuffed and arrested.
Police then found a black draw-string bag containing seven bullets.
Body Worn Video showed the officers were immediately wary.
After De Zoysa asked to sit in a police car, Pc Rich Davey told him: “I am going to search you right here.
“I think there is more to this story than you are letting on despite having drugs.”
Pc Davey told a female colleague, Pc Samantha Still: “I don’t trust him at all. Lied to us non-stop.”
When a van arrived to take De Zoysa to Windmill Road custody centre, Pc Davey told a colleague to get the defendant’s mobile phone IMEI number, saying: "Just in case he goes bananas in custody.”
Despite concerns, prosecutor Mr Penny said: “The police officers did not find that Louis De Zoysa was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster.
"The gun and holster were probably concealed under one of his armpits."
Camera footage from the van showed De Zoysa continually moving his hands behind his back, shifting in his seat and shaking his head.
He was driven into a garage at the custody centre and, after walking from the van, was seen on camera making his way along a corridor where he was greeted by Sgt Ratana.
He was then asked if he had Coronavirus symptoms and given a temperature check.
De Zoysa was led out into the custody main custody area and placed in a holding cell accompanied by PC’s Davey and Still.
Sgt Ratana then walked into the cell, explained what he had been arrested for and told De Zoysa to “stand up, mate,” in a distinctive New Zealand accent.
De Zoysa replied: “I will tell you, this is it. This is it. Please, please leave. I think I’m going to pass.”
Pc Davey said : “I don’t think you are mate,” before Sgt Ratana again asked him to stand.
Prosecutor Mr Penny said: “At this point Louis De Zoysa stood up and twisted his body round to the right and brought his hands from behind his back to the right hand side of his body.
“He did those three things in one moment.
“Louis De Zoysa was holding the gun in his right hand. He fired the gun directly at the chest of Sgt Ratana.
“That was the shot that killed Sgt Ratana.
“The prosecution says that this was a deliberate shot.”
Mr Penny added the defendant “knew he was using a gun which worked” and said it had “been fired on purpose” at the sergeant.
The prosecutor said after being shot, Sgt Ratana fell to the ground and “came to rest on his left side" with his legs towards the bench.
He added that Officer Davey then grabbed De Zoysa from behind and “put his arms around Louis De Zoysa’s neck and tried to pull him backwards".
Mr Penny said at the same time the defendant “fired the second shot towards Sgt Ratana’s legs.”
He added: “This was the second wound to his thigh and buttock. This was not a fatal wound."
But he added: “The prosecution will say this was a deliberate shot.”
Describing the fourth shot which hit De Zoysa, Mr Penny said the gun was under De Zoysa by then with the barrel pointing towards his head.
Mr Penny said Officer Davey “appeared to have control” over De Zoysa while PC Still was standing over him with her Taser drawn.
The prosecutor said “a muffled bang can be heard” which was the fourth shot and very shortly after Pc Still fired her Taser at the defendant.
Mr Penny stressed: “Any electrical current from the Taser cannot have caused Louis De Zoysa to fire the fourth shot because the gunshot can be heard before the Taser.”
He added that neither of the officers had been touching the gun and therefore De Zoysa “must have fired the gun".
The prosecutor said the gun was kicked away by another officer.
Sgt Ratana was pronounced dead in hospital. He suffered five injuries from the two shots, with the bullets going through his heart.
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His fiancée Sue Busby attended yesterday’s hearing but was not in court as the harrowing video footage of Sgt Ratana’s death was played.
The trial continues.