Overview
- On April 1, 2025 a Thames Valley Police firearms officer shot David Joyce at Milton Keynes Central after Joyce ran toward officers holding a knife and was later pronounced dead at 1:44pm.
- The Independent Office for Police Conduct concluded on May 29, 2026 that the single fatal shot was lawful, necessary and proportionate and that the officer honestly believed lives were at risk.
- The IOPC reviewed body‑worn video, CCTV, dashcam, radio logs and witness statements and found no evidence to support criminal or disciplinary charges against the officers, who were all treated as witnesses.
- Investigators found property seized after the incident had been properly recorded but noted some officers failed to activate body‑worn cameras when entering addresses and recommended reflective learning on that practice.
- The watchdog has passed its findings to HM Coroner and a pre‑inquest review is scheduled for June 19, 2026; reporting also notes Joyce’s 2022 firearms convictions and recent release as background to the case.