Metropolitan Police at Stanstead Road pic:Laurence Dodds

A man whose shooting in Forest Hill on February 19 is at the centre of an independent investigation has been arrested in hospital for attempted murder of three police officers.

The 25 year old man named in reports as ‘George’  was Tasered and shot on Stanstead Road after officers were called to respond to reports of a man breaking into a car.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is now investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Police said he had been arrested in suspicion of attempted murder, possession of offensive weapon, criminal damage relating to a police vehicle, and affray.

At a meeting on Monday at nearby Kilmorie High School borough commander Superintendent Jeremy Burton told residents that officers are told “not to shoot to kill, but shoot to stop.”

The man received three bullet wounds to his stomach, leg and hand, but is recovering in King’s College Hospital, where IPCC Comissioner Mike Franklin visited his family last week.

Franklin, who last week pledged to uncover the “truth” about the shooting, briefed residents about their investigation into the shooting.

He told them the IPCC will look into if the police could have prevented the shooting and the will be looking at the other tactics the police used during the incident.

Residents were told police are using social networking sites to get feedback from Forest Hill residents and those living nearby areas in the borough.

Burton explained a heightened police presence in Forest Hill, saying: “All of this heightened police presence is specifically to engage with you as local residents and members of the community to reassure you and to seek any feedback or any questions you have about what on Sunday Night.”

Officers assured the meeting that firearms are only used by armed by armed response units, that no firearms are held by Lewisham police officers, and that there are no firearms in Lewisham police station.

But they warned they could only give out limited information as the investigation is still continuing.

A spokesman said: “[The man’s] condition has now improved and following medical advice he has been deemed fit for arrest. However, he will remain in hospital under police guard until he is deemed fit for discharge.”

A full investigation report will be published by the IPCC website when the case is closed. Franklin told a meeting last week that such investigations usually took four to six months.