The body of 38-year-old Richard Woodcock, a freeway officer, was found by Thames Valley police when they raided a property in Milton Keynes on June 26 last year. They were called to a disturbance in the apartment at about 9.40 a.m. Another man, Kelvin Odichukumma Igweani, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene after a police officer fired four shots. Woodcock had gone to the apartment next to his own to help a boy believed to be in danger, according to Milton Keynes Medical Court. Medical examiner Tom Osborne ruled that Woodcock had been killed illegally and concluded that the little boy, who had suffered life-threatening injuries and needed surgery, had been saved from Woodcock’s “heroic behavior”. A post-mortem examination revealed that Woodcock received traumatic brain injuries that resulted in multiple blows to the head, and a large kettlebell was thought to be the weapon used, according to the court. Woodcock intervened when a screaming woman came to his apartment from the next door “fearing for her life and obviously in a state of turmoil.” His wife called 999 police when Woodcock decided to try to help the child in the apartment. He was dragged inside and severely attacked “at the point where he was beaten with a 4 kg dumbbell”, said the medical examiner. He said Woodcock’s death would have had devastating consequences for his family, who would have been haunted by what had happened. A woman and another small child managed to escape from the management before the police arrived. DS Mike West, of the Thames Valley Police, told the court that two gun officers responded and a Taser was used on Igweani, who had become “aggressive”. West said: “Officers came in and saw Mr Woodcock lying on the floor. “There was a big kettlebell and he had significant head injuries.” The investigation had previously heard that Taser was ineffective and Igweani entered the master bedroom, where a child could be heard crying along with the sound of an ongoing attack. Police gained access to the bedroom and a police weapon was released. “Police officers were shot and Mr. Iguani was shot,” the medical examiner said. An investigation into Igweani’s death will be conducted at a later date.
