Who was Bryce Hodgson? Crossbow-wielding man shot dead by London police was previously accused of breaking into woman's bedroom

Bryce Hodgson was shot dead by the police in the early hours of January 30, 2024, after attempting to force his way into a home on Bywater Place, Surrey Quays. He was armed with a crossbow, a sword and a hatchet.

Following his death, news broke that Hodgson was a suspected stalker who was accused of entering a woman's bedroom without her consent and sending her text messages demanding she open her door sometime between January and April 2023.

According to The Sun, Bryce Hodgson was charged with "stalking involving serious alarm/distress" in June 2023 but was released. He was later charged at Croydon Crown Court for failing to stick to his bail conditions after allegedly breaking curfew.

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Neighbors described Bryce Hodgson as a "dark horse"

As per the Mirror, Bryce Hodgson Hodgson grew up in Sheffield but lived in Middlesbrough until 2015. His neighbors described him as a "dark horse" who was "nervy" and smoked weed.

"He moved in last summer and you would see him outside the front smoking weed and cigarettes. He smoked a lot. He was a bit anxious, like he was on edge. I have a feeling he worked in computers. I never saw him bring anyone back. You could never quite work out what kind of person he was. He was a dark horse, nervy, but I never saw him being aggressive," his south London bedsit neighbor said.

Another neighbor called the 30-year-old a "troubled individual" who was "very timid" and constantly "looking over his shoulders."

"I’m amazed he had all that military gear and was tooled up with weapons. I never noticed any of that stuff getting delivered here. He usually looked a mess - same jeans and scruffy clothes," the neighbor continued.

No personal information regarding Bryce Hodgson has been released yet. As per The Mirror, his next of kin have been notified about his death.

According to Sky News, Hodgson received a 16-week suspended jail term in July 2023 and placed under supervision for 12 months after he was convicted for stalking. He was also banned from entering Bywater Place for five years.

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Bryce Hodgson had been wearing body armor at the time of his death

As per the Mirror, Bryce Hodgson was well-armed before breaking into the property. Police swarmed the scene at 5 am local time on Tuesday, following reports of a break-in. As they got there, they heard an agitated Hodgson threatening to harm the residents inside the building.

Local police tried to de-escalate the situation but ultimately called in the armed police for help when Bryce Hodgson successfully broke into the house. The armed police entered the home, where the perpetrator was shot twice and killed. The occupants of the house sustained minor injuries.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a detailed investigation into the crime, as is the standard in any case involving a fatal police shooting. According to The Sun, an IOPC spokesman said:

"We have begun an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of a man by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) earlier this morning in Southwark."

Regarding the IOPC investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh of Southwark said:

"I understand the local community will be concerned at the events that have taken place this morning. We will fully support the IOPC investigation into the full circumstances of what happened."

As per the Mirror, fatal police shootings are extremely rare in the UK, with only one instance reported in 2023.