By News Editior Declan Wilkes

The Crown Prosecution is deciding whether any officers will be charged over the death of Chelsea lawyer killed in a police shoot out.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission decided to refer the case to the CPS after their investigation.

Barrister Mark Saunders, 32, was killed after a shoot out with police from his Chelsea home on Tuesday.

Three exchanges of fire - stun grenades

The IPCC has confirmed three separate exchanges of fire. Police raided the property using four stun grenades - it is still not clear what happened inside the house.

The dead man's wife and family have questioned the use of deadly force - he was hit five times and was shot in the head, the heart and the liver.

The IPCC evidence showed seven officers fired 11 rounds at Mr Saunders.

A statement from the IPCC said:

"As in all IPCC cases, the investigation report was passed to an IPCC commissioner to decide whether the case should be referred to the CPS.

On this occasion Commissioner Tom Davies decided that the case did meet the criteria for referral, under the Police Reform Act 2002."

Reports indicated that a note Mr Saunders threw out from a window addressed to his wife said a row between the couple may have sparked the incident.

Dead from own bullet or police marksman?

Initial reports indicated he died as a result of either his own bullet from his legally owned shotgun or that of a police marksman's. An inquest has now heard he was shot five times.

Suicide was suggested, as was post traumatic stress by his service in the army as a Territorial Army reservist.

Police maintain they had to return fire at the Oxford-educated Saunders, who had also been drinking heavily before opening that afternoon, and had shown signs of suffering from depression.

There is also speculation from sources within the Metropolitan Police that a taser involved in the man's death - delivered either before or after he was shot.

Last October the High Court dismissed a claim by the divorce lawyer's family that the independent police investigation into the shooting was unlawful.

Following the dismissal Mr Saunders' family decided not to appeal against the decision in January.