The true story behind Hulu's Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, explained
Hulu's latest documentary series, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, dramatizes the death of a 27-year-old Brazilian electrician named Jean Charles de Menezes. The police mistakenly identified De Menezes as a suspect in the July 21, 2005, London bombings, and he was chased and killed by firearms officers at Stockwell Underground Station.
Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes delves into the details of the events leading up to his death, giving an overview of the poorly led mission of the Metropolitan Police, which led to the death of an innocent man, and the public outcry that followed the incident.
What is the true story behind Hulu's Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes?
In 2005, the shooting of the Brazilian electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes, created headlines. The 27-year-old was shot and killed by police officers on the London underground shortly after he boarded a train on July 22, 2005.
According to the Metropolitan police, Menezes had leapt over the ticket barriers at Stockwell Station, was panicking, and was wearing a bulky coat. The officers mistakenly thought he was hiding a bomb underneath, which caused them to shoot him in order to subdue the threat.
This incident took place two weeks after the 7/7 bombings on London’s transport network, which killed 52 people, and a botched copycat attack the previous day on July 21. Those involved in the second incident fled the scene, triggering a manhunt.
The police had mistakenly identified De Menezes as one of these shooters, and it later emerged that the intelligence on him was flawed. The surveillance officer who was watching the building where De Menezes lived mistook him for one of the would-be bombers. This led the police on a chase to stop him as he made his way by bus to a subway station.
To add to this, the officers said that De Menezes' bulky clothing made them suspect that he was carrying explosives, leading to them shooting him. No officers were charged with the killing of the innocent Brazilian, but the Metropolitan Police force was fined for endangering public safety.
What happened after the wrongful shooting?
Following his death, De Menezes' family waged a long legal battle for justice for the slain man. They sued the police in civil court, and the case was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2009. However, in 2016, the European Court of Human Rights declared that British authorities were right in not charging any police officers for the incident.
Cressida Dick, who was the officer in charge of the flawed operation, and Ian Blair, the then-Metropolitan Police chief, were cleared of any wrongdoing. Moreover, Dick rose in ranks to become head of the force and Blair was later appointed to the House of Lords.
Twenty years after Jean Charles de Menezes' demise, Hulu is bringing to viewers Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Maria de Menezes, the 80-year-old mother of Jean Charles de Menezes, discussed the series with BBC News in an article published on April 7, 2025.
"I was reassured that the truth was being told. They were going to be truthful about the story unlike other media outlets and other reports previously which told lies," she said.
She talked about how the public portrayal of De Menezes differed from how he was.
"It really annoys me because I know him. He came from me... My son was educated, civilised, who always respected law and order," she continued.
Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes premieres on April 30, 2025, on Disney+ and Hulu.
Catch Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes for more about the case.
