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Police in armed standoff with gunman in Surrey village Police in armed standoff with gunman in Surrey village
(35 minutes later)
Armed police are locked in an ongoing standoff with a gunman in a Surrey village. Armed police are locked in a standoff with a gunman in a Surrey village.
Police raided the house in Smallfield at 6am as part of a planned operation but were confronted by a person wielding a firearm. Police raided the house in Smallfield at 6am as part of a planned operation but were confronted by a man wielding a firearm.
Images from the scene on local media websites show a heavily armed police presence in the area with several vehicles, including an armoured jeep, outside the semi-detached property on a leafy road called Careys Wood. Images from the scene on local media websites show a heavily armed police presence in the area with several vehicles, including an armoured Land Rover, outside the semi-detached property on a leafy road called Careys Wood.
A police helicopter was dispatched to assist with the operation and a cordon is in place restricting access to surrounding roads.A police helicopter was dispatched to assist with the operation and a cordon is in place restricting access to surrounding roads.
A spokeswoman for Surrey police said: “A preplanned warrant was executed at a property in Careys (Wood) at around 6am this morning, Thursday 28 July. Upon entry to the property a person was seen to be in possession of a suspected firearm.A spokeswoman for Surrey police said: “A preplanned warrant was executed at a property in Careys (Wood) at around 6am this morning, Thursday 28 July. Upon entry to the property a person was seen to be in possession of a suspected firearm.
“NPAS (National Police Air Service) are assisting. A cordon is currently in place on local roads while police deal with the ongoing incident. Local residents are thanked for their patience.”“NPAS (National Police Air Service) are assisting. A cordon is currently in place on local roads while police deal with the ongoing incident. Local residents are thanked for their patience.”
A business owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Surrey Mirror he believes the incident began as a drugs raid. A business owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Surrey Mirror he believed the incident began as a drugs raid. He said: “I’ve heard rumours that it started off as a drug raid and I believe that the chap in there has got a gun and he was saying, ‘I’m a free man of the land’.”
He said: “I’ve heard rumours that it started off as a drug raid and I believe that the chap in there has got a gun and he was saying, ‘I’m a free man of the land.’