Armed Officer Heard 'Horrendous Scream' During Carlisle Incident, Inquest Told

The inquest into the death of Sergii Kuzmenko, a Ukrainian national, is underway in Workington and is expected to last about three weeks. Kuzmenko was fatally shot by Cumbria Police officers responding to reports of threats to kill while a young child was present. The incident occurred at a house on Borland Avenue in Carlisle six days before Christmas 2022.

Officer L, one of the armed officers who fired at Kuzmenko, testified that he heard a "horrendous scream" coming from inside the house upon arrival. He stated that he shouted "armed police" and saw Kuzmenko with a knife against a child's throat. Officer L said he shouted to Kuzmenko to put the knife down three times, but Kuzmenko did not comply.

Officer L, who had been an armed police officer for four years, said that hesitation during his training was taught to be a potential cause of loss of life. He also said that the initial approach of "contain and negotiate" was not achievable as he entered the house and saw an immediate threat to the child. He disagreed with the suggestion that the police presence was an aggravating factor, stating that Kuzmenko could have dropped the knife.