'Suicide by cop': Praise for police officers 'goaded' by armed man

The officers were responding to a call from Steven Markie, claiming he was in possession of firearms and struggling with drink and drugs, who told a switchboard operator he would shoot at the police as he was considering, “suicide by cop”.

Within quarter-of-an-hour, shortly after 1.30am on January 28, two unarmed police officers separately reached the scene, in Stanley Crook, taking up position 50-metres from Markie’s home in a block of bungalows in High Road.

Phillip Morley, prosecuting, said the defendant was seen leaving his home, walking into the road carrying a long-barrelled rifle-type gun, with a telescopic lens and silencer.

In the darkness the officers were unable to ascertain if it was an air weapon or a more lethal firearm, but he raised it horizontally onto his shoulder and aimed it in one officer’s direction.

The officer withdrew and the defendant returned to his home.

Mr Morley said another officer took cover behind a wall and Markie again left his home and walked to within 20m, carrying the rifle in one hand, pointing something from his left shoulder towards the constable.

He swore at the officer, who tried to engage him in conversation, asking him to stop pointing the weapon in his direction.

The defendant referred to another weapon in his possession and picked up a handgun from the ground in one hand, with the rifle still in the other.

Asked to put both down, he refused, but walked away.

Mr Morley said armed response officers arrived, but the full unit was not present and they were unable to fully defend themselves.

When Markie was warned armed police were present he fired in an officer’s direction and refused further pleas to put down his weapons.

An officer felt another shot “whizz” past his ear, before the defendant returned to the house and fired again.

“The defendant was goading the officers into shooting him and they told him if he continued to point his weapon at them he would be shot.”

It was only a short time later that an officer told him he wanted to help him, that Markie eventually discarded the handgun and staggered forward, dropping the rifle to the ground.

The officers tentatively approached him and, shortly before 2am, was cautioned and arrested.

A 0.22 Weirauch spring-powered air rifle with a break-barrel was recovered. It was not loaded, but was cocked. It was capable of discharging air pellets.

The handgun was found to be a 4.5mm gas-powered air pistol, which was neither loaded or cocked.

A tin of ammunition for both weapons was found.

Mr Morley said the officers shot at during the incident described being petrified, one claiming it was the single-most dangerous incident he had been involved in almost 20 years in the force.

The other officer described it as the most shocking and dangerous he had encountered in 15 years, and when he heard shots whizzing past him was “extremely concerned and frightened” not only for himself and colleagues, but also for members of the public.

Mr Morley added that it was only through a lack of a clear and safe line of fire being open to the officers, that Markie was not shot during the incident.

The 38-year-old defendant, who said nothing during interview, admitted two counts of possessing a firearm with intention of causing a fear of violence at a hearing last month and sentence was adjourned for preparation of a psychiatric report.

He was said to have 26 convictions for 49 offences, including acts of violence and threats to kill.

Simon Perkins, mitigating, said the report indicated a history of mental health issues, as the defendant was deemed to have a personality disorder, without being psychotic.

“The conclusion was that he did want to die, but he didn’t have the courage to kill himself and, therefore, wanted ‘suicide by cop’, putting into context this criminal behaviour.

“It’s not a case where someone has malevolence, going out to shoot.

“There’s a distinction to be drawn between an offence committed in furtherance of crime and this, which is impulsive behaviour, identified as a mental health disorder,” added Mr Perkins.

The court heard Markie was given the weapons to help defend a cannabis crop he was being “prevailed upon” to grow at his home address, as there had been a recent robbery attempt.

Jailing him for ten years, Judge Christopher Prince told Markie his intention was to endanger the officers’ lives.

“You didn’t simply wave that firearm at them, you were simply shooting at those officers.

“You have a long history of a lack of engagement with psychiatric services to address your disorder.

“You can act impulsively, and you know that.

“You know the way to stop yourself is to take your medication and engage with psychiatric services, but you know that taking cannabis and alcohol is likely to make you impulsive.”

Judge Prince said the report indicated that with medication Markie is considered a ‘low risk’ of re-offending, but, continuing to disengage from the help on offer made him a higher risk of repeat offending.

Following the hearing Judge Prince paid tribute to the, “extraordinary bravery” of the police responding as they did in the circumstances that night and said he would be draughting a formal commendation for the officers involved.