Police Officers Detail Shooting of Glasgow Hotel Attacker
Two police officers have provided testimony at an inquiry regarding the shooting and killing of an asylum seeker who lunged at one of them with a knife inside a Glasgow hotel.
Badreddin Abdullah Adam Bosh, aged 28, stabbed five individuals, including a police constable, during the incident at the Park Inn hotel in Glasgow in June 2020.
One of the firearms officers, who remains unnamed, told the fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Glasgow Sheriff Court that he believed Bosh intended to seriously injure or kill him.
The inquiry aims to establish whether any lessons can be learned from the incident.
CCTV footage captured Bosh advancing towards the officer with a kitchen knife on a narrow first-floor landing within the hotel.
Bosh was subsequently shot dead at close range by the firearms officer and a colleague.
Those stabbed during the attack underwent emergency surgery and survived.
Bosh was among hundreds of refugees relocated from flats to hotels at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, a move that raised concerns about the mental health of vulnerable individuals.
Officers' Encounter with Bosh
Referred to in court as Officer 4 and Officer 2, the officers testified that they first encountered Bosh descending the stairs to the hotel’s ground floor.
Bosh was wearing a blood-stained bandana and matched the description of the suspect known to be at large in the building after committing the attacks.
Officer 4 commanded Bosh to place his hands on his head; however, Bosh stood his ground before turning and ascending the stairs back to the first-floor landing.
Officer 2 described Bosh as breathing heavily and appearing agitated, with a wide-eyed and stunned expression.
The officers followed with their carbines raised, aware that other potential victims were present in the hotel and that additional firearms officers were positioned on upper floors.
The Shooting Incident
Upon reaching the first-floor landing, Officer 2 observed Bosh standing with his back to the lift doors in a slight recess.
"He looked as if he was trying to hide in that space,"
The officer noticed Bosh holding a knife at his side and ordered him to drop it. Bosh then lunged towards the officer.
"I think he was trying to attack me with the knife, possibly seriously injure or kill me," the officer said. "I fired my carbine. I fired one shot. I could see no reaction from the subject so I fired further shots. The subject leaned over at his waist. He fell into me. I had to move out the way. He then fell onto his back and I saw that the knife was still in his hand."
The officer told the court that he kicked the knife out of Bosh’s hand and handcuffed him before assisting other officers in administering first aid.
"I saw his eyes close and after that I saw no other signs of life,"
Bosh was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers' Statements and Legal Outcome
Both Officer 4 and Officer 2 stated their belief that their actions complied with the rules governing police use of firearms.
Mark Stewart KC, representing Bosh’s next of kin, questioned why armed officers do not aim to shoot to injure by targeting extremities.
Officer 4 responded that such an approach would have been difficult and more likely to endanger both officers by failing to incapacitate Bosh.
In 2023, the Crown Office announced that the officers involved would not face prosecution, deeming their actions "absolutely necessary."
The inquiry, presided over by Sheriff Stuart Reid, is ongoing.
