A man was seen swaggering down the street with a 'shotgun' over his shoulder just moments before he was gunned down by police.

CCTV from a nearby shop has been released days after the 41-year-old unnamed man was shot in the early hours of Monday morning.

The footage appears to show his final moments as he walks down a street in Romford, Essex, with what appears to be a shotgun.

Officers were called to a man making threats and claiming he was in possession of a firearm on April 9.

Armed officers raced to an Esso petrol station and just under an hour later the man was dead.

(Image: Essex Heating Spares)

(Image: Essex Heating Spares)

(Image: PA)

Met Police confirmed a man was shot by officers at around 4.45am and was pronounced dead at the scene at 5.17am.

The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed it had launched an investigation following the incident.

The IPOC said: "We have started an independent investigation into a fatal police shooting in Romford this morning."

Residents reacted with shock at the incident, with one, Darren Buckley, 50, saying he thought the commotion was due to a car crash.

(Image: REUTERS)

(Image: www.essexlive WS)

"I was up about 5am," he said. "I thought it was a crash. I was talking to a cop but he wasn’t giving anything away.

"There were AVRs outside the garage.

"I spoke to a copper but he was not giving anything away.

"There were armed response vehicles so it was obvious someone had been shot.

"There were four, they were in the garage and out here.

(Image: www.essexlive WS)

(Image: www.essexlive WS)

"It was all done, I was here about ten minutes after it happened so I didn’t hear the shots.

"I just heard all the sirens. There was an ambulance parked here too."

Other residents described hearing two shots during the tense stand-off.

Resident Tracy Green, 39, who lives near the petrol garage, told Essex Live: "I heard the gun shots - it was at about 4.45am.

"I just heard 'bang bang' and thought that sounded like gun shots - it was really close to here so it woke me up.

(Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

"I woke up then I saw all of it taped off here.

"That’s when I read about what happened."

Another resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, reacted with shock.

They said: "It’s just really crazy. I just heard gunshots but I didn’t see anything.

"I heard 'bang bang' and thought that sounded like gunshots, really close. I didn’t look out."

(Image: SWNS.com)

Footage from the scene: Police shoot man dead in Romford

And another said: "The only thing I heard this morning was a loud voice and two bangs and that’s it. I thought it was someone’s door. I thought the pub was still open and it was drunks coming out.

"I woke up and saw the police cordon. There was another shooting at the petrol station a couple of years ago I think. Being where we are, you see some bits and bobs but it’s usually quite a safe area.

"This does make you worried though.

"They shut the road off just before 5am. I think the policeman was doing his job, as long as he was in the right. I’ve got full confidence in them. If the person who was shot had a firearm and was acting in the wrong way, he can’t have done wrong.

(Image: SWNS.com)

(Image: www.essexlive WS)

"I do worry about my kids. But you’ve just got to be careful."

Another female resident in her 20s said: "I’m not happy about it. It’s a bit too close to home for my liking.

"Good for him for doing his job, if the guy needed to be shot, that’s what police are there for."

A Met Police spokesman said earlier this week: "At approximately 3.50am on Monday, April 9, police were called by a man making threats and claiming he was in possession of a firearm.

"Firearms officers attended the location and were informed the man had left the address, armed with a firearm.

"At approximately 4.45am a man - believed to be aged in his 40s - was shot by police in the vicinity of Collier Row Road and Lodge Lane.

"He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5.17am.

"The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed. A mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct."

Met Police could neither confirm or deny if a weapon was recovered at the scene.