Witnesses sought over mentally ill man shot by police

The Police Complaints Authority appealed for witnesses last night to the killing of a man suffering from schizophrenia who was shot dead by police marksmen.

Andrew Kernan, 37, was hit twice in the chest while brandishing a samurai sword in Liverpool on Thursday night.

The authority said it believed there were a number of vehicles in the area at the time, including a bus with passengers on board at the junction of Picton Road and Wellington Road in the Wavertree area.

Molly Meacher, who is supervising the investigation for the authority, met Mr Kernan's mother, Marie, yesterday. "She's very very angry. We had a very important meeting. The family were able to talk about exactly what their concerns are," Ms Meacher said.

Mr Kernan's relatives are furious at the actions of the Merseyside policemen. The officers had been called to the flat he shared with his mother in Wavertree after she and psychiatric workers became concerned at his behaviour. But Mr Kernan managed to escape from the property with the weapon and began waving it around outside a pub.

Greater Manchester Police is to undertake the investigation, which is hoped will be completed in four months, on behalf of the authority, under the guidance of Detective Superintendent David Crompton. The incident was referred to the authority by Merseyside Police.