A senior Metropolitan Police officer from Enfield has said that lessons must be learned after an innocent Brazilian electrician was killed this week under the shoot-to-kill' policy.

Jean Charles de Menezes was shot seven times in the head and once in the shoulder by plain-clothes policemen who suspected him of carrying explosives when he ran for his life into Stockwell Underground station on Friday.

Acting Det Insp George Rhoden, of Chase Side, Enfield, who is chairman of the Metropolitan Black Police Association and a former firearms officer, said: "I understand the pressure these officers are under, and we have to look at how all this came about.

"There is an inquiry into what happened, but we don't want these mistakes happening in the future."

He added: "It is a very difficult situation there are guidelines and policies for engagement, but that doesn't take away the human stress factor at the time of engagement.

"The officer is not told to shoot. He has to make a decision at the time of challenging, and then hopefully get the response he wants."

ADI Rhoden has been at the centre of the investigation into the terrorist attacks, having played a key role on July 7, when by chance his train from Enfield Chase was diverted from Moorgate to King's Cross shortly before 9am.

He spent the day taking statements from witnesses and helping the injured. He was also one of the first police officers to witness the devastation in the bombed carriage.

He told the Independent he was struck by the kindness of members of the public in the aftermath of the terrible attacks. He said: "People looked after others that needed assistance people of different cultures and faiths, it didn't matter.

"Everybody assisted everybody. For once, there were no other factors affecting people."