A man has been charged with attempted murder after an officer was shot in the shoulder on Thursday lunchtime, during a police operation to recover a gun.

Tyrone Benjamin Henry, 31 of Phoenix Close, Haggerston, was charged on Friday with the attempted murder of a police officer and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court the following day where he did not enter a plea.

The wounded DC from the Trident Area Crime Command is now in a ‘stable’ condition in an east London hospital.

A ‘post incident procedure’ concluded that no police firearm was discharged during the operation by the Met’s Trident gang crime unit and the specialist firearms command (SCO19) to recover a gun from the Stonebridge Estate in Scriven Street.

Business man David Silvester, 28, who owns an importing business, was in his flat in the City Mill Apartments in Clarissa Street where the balcony overlooks the crime scene, when the incident began to unfold.

He told the Gazette: There were armed officers going into the estate, there were undercovers everywhere.

“They were wearing green uniforms and helmets and they came out of the estate, and there was a bunch of shouting and screaming, and right after that you heard a few gunfire.

“Just a few minutes later the whole road was filled with undercovers, they were all scrambling about and a woman got out of the car and was screaming, “He’s been shot, he’s been shot”.”

“He continued: “After that it was mayhem, they were running up and down the roads. “Yes it was dramatic, it was a bit intense for the day. I think it was traumatic for the police as well.

“I grew up in Los Angeles and shootings are quite common there, they seemed quite well prepared here, where I grew up people used to get shot in their car just to take the car to a chop shop.”

Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe praised the officer for showing ‘great bravery’.

His colleagues have described him as ‘exceptional’ and ‘professional’. He has been that and more today,” he said.

“Our officers confront danger every day. I am proud of all of them and the courage that they show.”

Henry was remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on October 29.