Mr Saunders’ family say he posed no real risk to the public An alcoholic barrister who was shot dead by police during a stand-off sent a text to his friend saying, “This is the end”, an inquest has heard.
Mark Saunders, 32, was hit in the head and chest by five police bullets at his Chelsea home in May 2008, following a five-hour siege.
Westminster Coroner’s Court heard he texted Alex Booth, the best man at his wedding, during the stand-off.
The message said: “This is the end, my only friend, the end.”
Mr Booth told the court they would often quote films and music to each other, and the message appeared to be quoting from a song by The Doors used in the film Apocalypse Now.
The hearing was told Mr Saunders had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous and sought help from his GP to control his drinking.
The family law expert had been prescribed anti-depressants and had also taken cocaine in the months leading up to his death.
His widow Elizabeth said she thought he had been drinking heavily on the day of his killing.
She said her husband was a “very sensitive and caring man” with “huge energy and love for life”.
Mrs Saunders, also a lawyer who worked at QEB chambers with her husband, said he had been teetotal apart from a few “blips”.
She said: “What Mark wanted to do was control the drinking, to be able to be a social drinker.
“He was successful in that for most of the time. There were occasions, probably every three months or so, when it went wrong.”
The death of Mr Saunders, who was once in the Territorial Army, was filmed from a police helicopter.
Police had been called after neighbours saw him firing a shotgun into a neighbouring flat.
The officers say they were firing in self defence, or to protect others.
None of them are to be prosecuted, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
Mr Saunders’ family maintain he presented no risk to the public.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.