The armed police officer who shot Mark Duggan told a jury he opened fire when he saw Mark Duggan point a gun at him.

The specialist firearms officer said he had no idea how the gun got over a wall despite having the 29-year-old in his sights throughout the incident.

Mr Duggan was travelling in a minicab from Leyton on August 4, 2011, when he was killed in Ferry Lane, Tottenham.

His death sparked riots across London and across the country.

The officer told the inquest into his death, at the Royal Courts of Justice, that he saw Mark Duggan get out of the minicab “at pace” and with a “spring in his step”.

The family and loved ones of Mr Duggan shouted “liar” when the marksman said Mr Duggan was carrying a handgun when he stepped out of the car.

He told the jury that he could see a gun wrapped in a sock in Mr Duggan’s right hand and could very clearly make out the handle and trigger guard.

He said: "He was carrying a handgun in his right hand and I could see the sock, I could seen the trigger guard and I could see the handle of the gun."

He did not remember where the 29-year-old trigger finger was when he opened fire.

According to the officer, Mr Duggan had his elbow bent, arm against his stomach and was holding the gun parallel to the ground.

The officer fired the first shot from his MP5 rifle after Mr Duggan moved his wrist away from his body and pointed the gun at him.

The bullet hit Mr Duggan in the chest and caused his right shoulder to flinch away from the officer.

However, as the gun was still pointing at him, the marksman said he honestly believed that he might shoot, and fired another bullet which hit the 29-year-old in the bicep.

Mr Duggan then fell but the officer did not remember whether he fell forwards or backwards.

Police later recovered a gun wrapped in a sock which was found in grass on the far side of a wall about 10ft away.

Asked by Ashley Underwood, the counsel to the inquest, the officer said he had no idea how the gun had got over the wall, despite having his eyes on Mr Duggan the entire time.

Yesterday, the taxi driver in whose cab Mr Duggan was travelling when he was shot said police officers did not shout the word “police” - and that Mr Duggan was shot in the back, by a different officer.

The marksman said the first thing he and other officers at the scene shouted was “armed police” before ordering Mr Duggan to stand still.

The inquest continues.