The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it would examine the circumstances of the incident in Dagenham, east London, on Thursday night.

The watchdog said it had established that the Met received a call earlier in the evening from the man - believed to be in his 40s - in which he "told police he had firearms and was going to harm himself."

Police went to an address in Weston Green at around 8pm, where officers said they attempted to speak to the man.

An IOPC spokesperson said police bodyworn camera showed the man came out of a property, went back inside, and then came out again for a second time.

They added: "We have established that, shortly before 9pm, a Met officer has [then] fired two shots. First aid was provided by officers at the scene however the man was pronounced dead at approximately 9.30pm."

The watchdog said what appeared to be a "non-police issue firearm was located near the man".

Another gun was said to have been recovered from inside the property. Both weapons will be examined by investigators.

Nobody else was thought to have been inside the property at the time.

The Met told the IOPC at around 10pm and it "immediately" sent staff to the scene to investigate, the watchdog said.

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IOPC director Amanda Rowe added: "Our thoughts are with the man's family and all of those affected by this tragic incident. We have spoken with his family to offer our sympathies and explain our role.

"Given a man has died after being shot by police, our role is to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this incident including the actions and decisions taken by the police."

The Met's assistant commissioner Matt Twist said: "The IOPC is independently investigating this matter.

"It is right that officers are held to account when shots are fired, and we will work with the IOPC to provide all the information they need to carry out their enquiries."

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