The Command also investigates unprovoked shootings or threats to shoot unarmed officers, and PCSOs.

Sergeant Cincotta said unprovoked shootings during holdups were becoming common.

The council said in a statement that its members had seen an unprovoked shooting of two civilians by soldiers, adding: "We have proof the army has committed acts of brutality against the population.

As part of his plea bargain, Pérez implicated scores of officers from the Rampart Division's anti-gang unit, describing routinely beating gang members, planting evidence on suspects, falsifying reports and covering up unprovoked shootings.

The convicted offenses include unprovoked shootings, unprovoked beatings, planting of evidence, framing of suspects, stealing and dealing narcotics, bank robbery, perjury, and covering up evidence of these activities.

From then on the Soviets were mostly concerned with avoiding losses in the Panjshir sector, and they observed a tacit ceasefire: unprovoked shooting by Soviet troops was forbidden, and the Mujahideen refrained from attacking Soviet bases.

Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli troops of unprovoked shootings of civilians during the past three years of fighting, but say such cases are seldom investigated.

The apparently unprovoked shooting of Campbell was documented by the resulting point-of-view video from his own camera.

Eye-witness accounts by British journalists told of the unprovoked and apparently indiscriminate shooting of civilians by British soldiers.

"It was a totally unprovoked shooting," Capt. Kelly said.