Officer in US embassy gun scare

The officer has been suspended from firearms duties

A police officer sparked a scare at the US embassy in London when he accidentally fired his weapon while on guard duty outside the building.

Embassy staff called 999 after they heard the Diplomatic Protection Squad officer's sub-machine gun fire.

A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said no-one was injured in the incident, which took place on Friday morning.

The officer has been suspended from firearms duties while an internal inquiry is carried out.

The police spokeswoman said: "At 11.20am yesterday a static armed protection officer unintentionally discharged a firearm in Grosvenor Square. No-one was injured."

The embassy was not believed to have been damaged in the incident.

The suspended officer will continue to perform other work while the Directorate of Professional Standards probe continues.