Gunman's wife denies involvement

The wife of a barrister killed in a gun siege has denied the incident was sparked by a marital row.

Mark Saunders, 32, was found dead on Tuesday night after exchanging fire with police marksmen in the five-hour stand-off at his luxury flat in Chelsea, west London.

It was reported his wife Elizabeth Clarke was at home with him before the siege began and the couple had argued.

But she said in a statement that she arrived at their home after the stand-off began.

The statement read: "It has been widely reported that Elizabeth was at the family home prior to the terrible events which led to Mark's death.

"She was in fact at work, and arrived home only after the area had been cordoned off."

She added: "Mark and Elizabeth had a strong union and were deeply committed to each other.

It was reported that divorce lawyer Saunders died from multiple bullet wounds after armed police were called when began firing a shotgun at neighbours.

A post mortem on his body was carried out on Wednesday and an inquest is due to open on Friday at Westminster Coroner's Court.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the circumstances of his death.

During the siege the Oxford graduate wrote the message"I love my wife dearly xxx" on a cardboard box and threw it from a window.

Investigators said Saunders, a member of the Territorial Army's Honourable Artillery Company from 1999 to 2002, kept a legally registered shotgun at his home.

His father Rodney Saunders said: "He didn't endanger anyone at all to my knowledge and we can only surmise what might have happened before the whole thing started.

"I just don't know. You would imagine that it will come out in the fullness of time. We will want answers as to why police shot him."

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.