The mother of a 30-year-old man shot dead by police after breaking into his former home armed with a crossbow and a sword has told inquest jurors she is “deeply sorry” for the distress he caused.
Jaqueline Hodgson told Southwark Coroner’s Court that her son was shy and “non-violent”, and that the actions were “entirely at odds” with the person he was throughout the rest of his life.
IT worker Bryce Hodgson was shot after entering the home in Bywater Place, Surrey Quays, south-east London armed with weapons including a crossbow and a sword on January 30, 2024.
Mother's tribute
Reading a pen portrait to jurors at his inquest on Monday, his mother said she is “deeply sorry for the distress and hurt Bryce caused”.
“We were and remain utterly shocked by what happened,” Mrs Hodgson said, saying it was “completely out of character” for her son.
She described him as “quiet and unassuming”, and told the court he did not like discussing his feelings, was shy, “emotionally naive” and had never had a significant romantic relationship.
He had a happy childhood and a great relationship with his sister, who was three years his junior, and would help his grandmother with new technology, she said.
Declining mental health
However, his life changed at the beginning of 2023 when he seemed increasingly anxious, jurors were told.
When he visited his parents in their new home outside the UK that spring, he expressed concerns about trouble in his house share in London.
Mrs Hodgson said: “He visited in the March and he was anxious about deteriorating relationships in the house and told us that the atmosphere in the house was very difficult.”
Later that year, he called them to say he was due to appear in court charged with a criminal offence.
“We were shocked by this as to the best of our knowledge he had never been in trouble,” Mrs Hodgson said.
She went on: “Bryce told us that he felt he didn’t deserve to be convicted but that he had been advised to plead guilty.”
He became increasingly concerned about his physical health and had a series of inconclusive medical tests, the jury heard, but when he visited his parents again for Christmas that year seemed happy and positive about the future.
Mrs Hodgson said she is “so grateful” the family had that time together before his death the following month.
Shooting details
“When the police called with the terrible news about what had happened we were completely and utterly shocked,” she said.
Mrs Hodgson told the jury her son was in a mental health crisis, and that his family want to understand what happened to him and whether there were any missed opportunities to stop it.
She said she “cannot recognise” the person involved in the incident, and that her son was “non-violent”.
“Bryce will always be loved and missed by his family and his friends,” she said.
Earlier, coroner Dr Julian Morris told jurors Mr Hodgson had previously lived at the house in Bywater Place.
He said: “In the early hours of January 30 2024 he returned to 27 Bywater Place.
“He was carrying various weapons including a crossbow and a sword.
“Local police who attended first attempted to control the situation but were unable to do so.
“Members of the Metropolitan Police Service firearms unit were tasked with attending and did so soon after.
“Following their attendance two shots were fired.”
Medics from both the land and air ambulance tried to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the scene, the court heard.
The inquest is expected to take around four weeks.
