Shocking moment kebab shop worker shoots EIGHT times at undercover police officer during gun attack on pool hall

  • Sedat Meric launched a surprise attack on a north London pool hall in May
  • The 25-year-old kebab shop worker fired three rounds into the bar
  • When challenged by police, Meric shot at the detective eight times 
  • The National Crime Agency officer returned fire and chased Meric 
  • Meric surrendered after his semi-automatic handgun ran out of bullets

A kebab shop worker shot eight times at an undercover detective who tried to arrest him during a gun attack on a north London pool hall. 

Sedat Meric fired three rounds into the pool bar in a revenge attack when he was approached by the undercover detective from the National Crime Agency. 

Meric, 25, turned to the officer, raised his semi-automatic hand gun, and fired at the detective.

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Sedat Meric approaches the West Green Road Pool Bar in Haringey, North London reaching for his gun

Sedat Meric approaches the West Green Road Pool Bar in Haringey, North London reaching for his gun

Without warning the 25-year-old kebab shop worker, pictured,  fired three rounds into the pool hall 

Without warning the 25-year-old kebab shop worker, pictured,  fired three rounds into the pool hall 

Sedat Meric, pictured, was jailed for 15 years for shooting at the police officer while his accomplice received a 12-year jail term also for possession of a  firearm with intent to endanger life at the Old Bailey earlier this week
Sedat Meric, was jailed for 15 years for shooting at the police officer while his accomplice Oktay Ayanoglu, pictured,  also received a 12-year jail term also for possession of a  firearm with intent to endanger life

Sedat Meric, left, was jailed for 15 years for shooting at the police officer while his accomplice Oktay Ayanoglu, right, also received a 12-year jail term also for possession of a  firearm with intent to endanger life

The chilling incident was captured on CCTV. The footage shows Meric, who was wearing a balaclava and hoodie open fire into the West Green Road Pool Bar in Haringey, north London.

A second camera shows the detective approaching and Meric opening fire before running onto Carlingford Road. He continued shooting at the officer, who was forced to seek cover behind a car on the opposite side of the road. 

Meric fired seven rounds at the officer, who despite being under heavy fire, continued to advance on the attacker. 

Several witnesses can be seen running for their lives. 

The officer, known only as NC32 was praised by an Old Bailey judge for his 'courage and resolve' for the manner in which he risked his life pursuing Meric. 

Meric only surrendered when he ran out of bullets.   

Meric turns around when officer NC32 shouted 'Armed Police' and began shooting at the detective

Meric turns around when officer NC32 shouted 'Armed Police' and began shooting at the detective

Despite being shot at eight times, officer NC32 continued his chase on foot until Meric ran out of bullets

Despite being shot at eight times, officer NC32 continued his chase on foot until Meric ran out of bullets

The 25-year-old and his accomplice Oktay Ayanoglu were found guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life on May 23 last year following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Meric, who worked in a family-run kebab shop, was jailed for 15 years while Ayanoglu, 22, was handed a 12-year prison sentence.

Judge Michael Topolski said it was 'miraculous' no-one was injured in the pre-meditated attack on the pool bar.

Commending the National Crime Agency officer NC32, the judge said: 'He displayed all that is most creditable of police officers on whom we trust to put their own safety on the back seat for the protection of all the public.

'He acted with courage and resolve - literally in the face of live rounds being fired at him.

'In my judgment he should not only be thanked but highly commended for his bravery that night.'

Meric attacked the West Green Road Pool Bar, pictured, over a turf war between rival criminal gangs 

Meric attacked the West Green Road Pool Bar, pictured, over a turf war between rival criminal gangs 

The undercover officer, pictured, returned fire because he thought his life was in immediate danger

The undercover officer, pictured, returned fire because he thought his life was in immediate danger

As he sentenced the two north London men, the judge said: 'The irony at the heart of the events was that the police were on the streets that night to preserve and protect life while the two of you were there to endanger it.

'This was a pool bar in a busy, densely populated area of north London. It was a mild spring night, the first evening of a bank holiday. There were people on the streets - we saw them on CCTV.

'It is clear there could have been several people injured - or worse.'

Meric and Ayanoglu were found not guilty of attempted murder of NC32, while the group's alleged leader, Bulent Eren, was cleared of all offences after the jury decided it could not be certain that he was the man who had stayed by the getaway car and fled before he could be apprehended.

The court had heard that NCA officers were at the scene to protect Eren from a potential threat which may have emanated from the bar and had not expected him to arrive there armed.

Eren, 35, from Liverpool, and others were involved in a 'bitter and violent argument' with a gang associated with West Green Road Pool Bar in Haringey, jurors were told.

The prosecution said they had gone to the club for an 'armed revenge attack' following a fight in Tottenham less than 24 hours earlier, involving baseball bats, billiard cues and metal poles.

After running out of bullets, Meric dropped his gun, pictured, and surrendered him to the police 

Giving evidence from behind a screen, NC32 recalled the dramatic gun fight, saying that he returned fire because he felt his life and the lives of members of the public were in danger.

He told jurors: 'I thought he fired at least two shots.

'My reaction was of shock and having to make a decision on what I was going to do and his reaction was to turn back the way he had come from.

'I started to run across the road.

'While I was running across the road, I drew my pistol from my right hip and shouted to him "Armed police, stand still".'

He was about 15 to 20 metres away when the gunman reacted, NC32 said: 'He turned to face me and he brought his pistol up and fired at me.

'I returned fire with a single round.'

The gunman carried on running into Carlingford Road and the officer made the decision to get into some cover on the opposite side of the road behind a car, the court heard.

He said: 'As I moved down the side of the vehicle I am bobbing up and down.

'I can see the male on the opposite pavement and he is looking at me.

'I continue to shout "Armed police" and "Police" and got to the end of the first vehicle and he fires again at me.'

Asked how many times he was shot at, the officer said: 'It just sounds and feels like a continuous round being fired at me.

'I continue shouting "Armed police", hoping he would stop firing, and it was at this point that I fired again at the male on the opposite side of the road.

'He immediately returned fire again at me.

'The firing had stopped.

'I came up and looked towards him and could see he was throwing the gun to his right-hand side and putting his hands in the air.

'He did so saying something to the effect "OK, OK".

'It was a gesture of surrender.'

The officer said he realised he would have to go towards the gunman and get control of him as none of his colleagues had yet arrived.

'I had my gun on aim and closed the gap towards him and I told him to turn and put his hands up against the wall,' he said.

Prosecutor Edward Brown QC asked NC32 why he fired.

The officer replied: 'Because I thought I was in danger of my life and I believed, if he had carried on, any member of the public was in danger of their life.'

Meric was arrested along with Ayanoglu, who had tried to run back to the Vauxhall Signum which was later found burnt out.

The court heard that 11 spent cartridges from Meric's self-loading pistol littered the pavement and road after the incident and bullets were found embedded in the pool club building.

On the day of the shoot-out, the Arctic Monkeys were performing at nearby Finsbury Park and people were sitting drinking on a grassy bank opposite the pool bar.

At the time of the shooting the NCA's Armed Operations Unit was conducting a surveillance in the West Green Road area of Harringay when the shooting started. 

Meric received a 15-year jail term for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life with a further six years for possession with intent to cause fear to run concurrently. 

His co-accused Ayanoglu was jailed for 12 years for possession of a fire arm with intent to endanger life. Both men were acquitted of teh attempted murder of officer NC32. 

Three days after the original shooting incident, armed police arrested two men aged 34 and 21 in Harringay. During the arrest, an armed police officer fired one round. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission ruled that the use of firearms was proportionate.   

Detective Inspector Shaun Fitzgerald, from the Trident Gang Command, said: 'Meric went out that evening intent on causing fear and intimidation and with no regard for who may have got caught up in the crossfire.

'Shooting at officers of the law highlights his complete disregard. I commend the officers from the National Crime Agency for their bravery in the face of an armed man. It is sheer luck that no one was injured as a result of this incident and it highlights the inherent dangers present when carrying a gun.'

Rob Lewin, Head of the NCA's Specialist Operations Unit, said: ''The NCA officer demonstrated professionalism and bravery in the face of extreme danger. All NCA firearms officers are trained to the highest standards; the measured and proportionate actions of the officers protected the public in what was a highly volatile situation.''

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