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| Bristol police shooting: reports of man with gun an hour before incident | Bristol police shooting: reports of man with gun an hour before incident |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police in the Midlands received a report of a man pointing a gun at another motorist on the M5 about an hour before a driver was shot by officers just off the motorway between Bristol and Portishead. | Police in the Midlands received a report of a man pointing a gun at another motorist on the M5 about an hour before a driver was shot by officers just off the motorway between Bristol and Portishead. |
| West Mercia police said officers received the call at 8.30am on Wednesday, when the man was reported to be near junction eight of the motorway. | West Mercia police said officers received the call at 8.30am on Wednesday, when the man was reported to be near junction eight of the motorway. |
| A man died after officers from Avon and Somerset constabulary opened fire on the A369 Portbury Hundred road, close to the M5 Gordano services and junction 19, at about 9.30am. | A man died after officers from Avon and Somerset constabulary opened fire on the A369 Portbury Hundred road, close to the M5 Gordano services and junction 19, at about 9.30am. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been informed of the call, a spokesman for West Mercia police said. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been informed of the call, a spokesman for West Mercia police said. |
| “We can confirm that we received a call at 8.30am yesterday of a report of a man in a vehicle, pointing a gun at another motorist, and that was near junction eight of the M5,” he said. “That was passed on to the central motorway police group. We have informed the IPCC about this call.” | “We can confirm that we received a call at 8.30am yesterday of a report of a man in a vehicle, pointing a gun at another motorist, and that was near junction eight of the M5,” he said. “That was passed on to the central motorway police group. We have informed the IPCC about this call.” |
| The Portbury Hundred was reopened shortly before 4pm on Thursday. An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said: “The IPCC has now finished its examination of the Portbury Hundred and the road has been reopened. | |
| “We fully appreciate how disruptive the road’s closure has been to the local community and to motorists using J19 of the M5. We’d like to reiterate our thanks to all those affected by the closure for their patience and understanding.” | “We fully appreciate how disruptive the road’s closure has been to the local community and to motorists using J19 of the M5. We’d like to reiterate our thanks to all those affected by the closure for their patience and understanding.” |
| The man who died has yet to be named. In a joint statement released on Thursday, the chief constable of Avon and Somerset constabulary, Andy Marsh, and the area’s police and crime commissioner, Sue Mountstevens, said a full investigation by the IPCC was under way. | The man who died has yet to be named. In a joint statement released on Thursday, the chief constable of Avon and Somerset constabulary, Andy Marsh, and the area’s police and crime commissioner, Sue Mountstevens, said a full investigation by the IPCC was under way. |
| The statement said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who died and all those involved and affected by yesterday’s incident. A full investigation by the IPCC is under way, and we are working to support this ongoing investigation. At the request of the IPCC, the A369 is still closed as they continue their detailed search of the scene to ensure they capture all of the evidence. | The statement said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who died and all those involved and affected by yesterday’s incident. A full investigation by the IPCC is under way, and we are working to support this ongoing investigation. At the request of the IPCC, the A369 is still closed as they continue their detailed search of the scene to ensure they capture all of the evidence. |
| “They are very much aware of the disruption their continuing road closure is having on people who live and work in Portishead.” | “They are very much aware of the disruption their continuing road closure is having on people who live and work in Portishead.” |
| Officers involved are being questioned and their weapons have been seized and are being checked. CCTV footage and body cameras are also being examined. | Officers involved are being questioned and their weapons have been seized and are being checked. CCTV footage and body cameras are also being examined. |
| A postmortem on the man who died was taking place and the IPCC said it was also analysing what appeared to be a non-police-issue weapon found at the scene. | A postmortem on the man who died was taking place and the IPCC said it was also analysing what appeared to be a non-police-issue weapon found at the scene. |
| The incident began on Wednesday morning after callers told police they had seen a man with a handgun on the M5. Police scrambled to intercept him. | The incident began on Wednesday morning after callers told police they had seen a man with a handgun on the M5. Police scrambled to intercept him. |
| According to Avon and Somerset police, the vehicle the man was driving left the motorway at junction 19 and officers stopped it on the A369. Shots were fired and a man died. | According to Avon and Somerset police, the vehicle the man was driving left the motorway at junction 19 and officers stopped it on the A369. Shots were fired and a man died. |
| A source told the Guardian that another police force had information about the driver that was not known to Avon and Somerset as they rushed to deal with the incident. That information pointed to there being earlier concerns about the welfare of the driver. | A source told the Guardian that another police force had information about the driver that was not known to Avon and Somerset as they rushed to deal with the incident. That information pointed to there being earlier concerns about the welfare of the driver. |
| One witness claimed to have heard five shots; another said there were 10. Frazer Phillips wrote on the Hello Portishead Facebook page: “I was right next to it when it happened and heard about 4-5 shots.” | One witness claimed to have heard five shots; another said there were 10. Frazer Phillips wrote on the Hello Portishead Facebook page: “I was right next to it when it happened and heard about 4-5 shots.” |
| On the same page, Mark De Lancey wrote: “I got up on the roundabout as the police were smashing the guy’s windows and dragging him out.” | On the same page, Mark De Lancey wrote: “I got up on the roundabout as the police were smashing the guy’s windows and dragging him out.” |
| In a statement issued on Wednesday the IPCC said: “We have been advised that officers were responding to reports of a man travelling on the M5 with a handgun and that he had threatened another motorist. What appears to be a non-police-issue firearm was found at the scene and will be subject to examination.” | In a statement issued on Wednesday the IPCC said: “We have been advised that officers were responding to reports of a man travelling on the M5 with a handgun and that he had threatened another motorist. What appears to be a non-police-issue firearm was found at the scene and will be subject to examination.” |
| A police officer can legally use force if there is an honest belief that a suspect presents a threat to life, if they are acting in self-defence of their own life, or to protect other people, based on what they believe at the time. One of the hardest tasks for armed officers is dealing with a suspect believed to have a gun who is in a moving vehicle. | A police officer can legally use force if there is an honest belief that a suspect presents a threat to life, if they are acting in self-defence of their own life, or to protect other people, based on what they believe at the time. One of the hardest tasks for armed officers is dealing with a suspect believed to have a gun who is in a moving vehicle. |
| All police shootings have to be independently investigated by the IPCC. | All police shootings have to be independently investigated by the IPCC. |
| The IPCC commissioner, Cindy Butts, said: “My thoughts are with the man’s family and all those affected at this difficult time. The investigation is in its very early stages and we will be working hard to establish exactly what happened and would ask for patience while our investigation continues. At this stage we are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident and no individual police officer is under investigation.” | The IPCC commissioner, Cindy Butts, said: “My thoughts are with the man’s family and all those affected at this difficult time. The investigation is in its very early stages and we will be working hard to establish exactly what happened and would ask for patience while our investigation continues. At this stage we are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident and no individual police officer is under investigation.” |
| The distance between junction eight – at Strensham in Worcestershire – and junction 19 for Portishead is 54 miles (87km). The central motorway police group is made up of officers from the West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire forces. Officers from another police force, Gloucestershire, may be questioned by IPCC investigators as when the M5 leaves West Mercia, it travels through Gloucestershire before entering Avon and Somerset. An important part of the investigation is likely to be how the different forces involved liaised. | The distance between junction eight – at Strensham in Worcestershire – and junction 19 for Portishead is 54 miles (87km). The central motorway police group is made up of officers from the West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire forces. Officers from another police force, Gloucestershire, may be questioned by IPCC investigators as when the M5 leaves West Mercia, it travels through Gloucestershire before entering Avon and Somerset. An important part of the investigation is likely to be how the different forces involved liaised. |