This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-41415223
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 9 | Version 10 |
---|---|
Portishead shooting: Man dies after police surround car | Portishead shooting: Man dies after police surround car |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man has died in a shooting involving armed police at a junction of the M5 motorway near Bristol. | A man has died in a shooting involving armed police at a junction of the M5 motorway near Bristol. |
Officers fired shots at a car on the Portbury Hundred (A369) near junction 19 for Portishead at about 09:30 BST, an eyewitness told the BBC. | |
Avon and Somerset Police said it acted following reports of a man in a car with a handgun. | |
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said there were reports "he had threatened another motorist". | |
Latest updates from the scene | Latest updates from the scene |
A police spokesman said: "Earlier this morning we received calls from concerned members of the public travelling on the M5 who reported they had seen a man in a car with a handgun. | |
"The vehicle left the motorway at junction 19 and officers stopped the car on the A369 known as the Portbury Hundred. | "The vehicle left the motorway at junction 19 and officers stopped the car on the A369 known as the Portbury Hundred. |
"Shots were subsequently fired in an incident involving police firearms and a man has died. | "Shots were subsequently fired in an incident involving police firearms and a man has died. |
"We referred the incident to the IPCC: they're now on the scene carrying out an independent investigation which we are supporting. | |
"We anticipate the road will remain closed for some time." | "We anticipate the road will remain closed for some time." |
'Number of witnesses' | |
The force added it was not terror-related. | The force added it was not terror-related. |
An IPCC spokesman confirmed it had launched an investigation and said its teams have been at the scene gathering evidence. | |
"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," he said. | |
"What appears to be a non-police issue firearm was found at the scene and will also be subject to examination." | |
He added inquiries were continuing to formally identify the deceased and his next of kin. A post mortem is due to take place on Thursday. | |
IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts: "At this stage we are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident and no individual police officer is under investigation. | |
"There would have been a large number of witnesses, given this incident took place on a busy road during rush hour. We would ask that anyone with information that may assist our independent investigation make contact with our investigators." | |
At the scene: BBC reporter Jon Kay | At the scene: BBC reporter Jon Kay |
Forensic officers in white protective suits are scouring every inch of the car and road surface. | Forensic officers in white protective suits are scouring every inch of the car and road surface. |
An object on the roof of the red car looks like a handgun to the naked eye. | An object on the roof of the red car looks like a handgun to the naked eye. |
There are bullet holes in the windows and shards of shattered glass on the tarmac below. The driver's door is open. | There are bullet holes in the windows and shards of shattered glass on the tarmac below. The driver's door is open. |
This afternoon police erected a large privacy barrier across the end of the road and extended the cordon around the scene. | This afternoon police erected a large privacy barrier across the end of the road and extended the cordon around the scene. |
A large blue police tent has been carried in and installed next to the car. | A large blue police tent has been carried in and installed next to the car. |
David Ellison told BBC Radio Bristol he saw officers fire between six and 10 shots through the passenger window using handguns. | |
"They surrounded it. They shot maybe five, six or 10 times," he said. | |
"Then they dragged a man from the car to resuscitate him. | |
"It came off the roundabout towards Portishead and then was boxed in by cars." | |
Lisa Fussell told the BBC she had been driving along the Portbury Hundred when she came across a scene of "chaos" involving two unmarked police cars and "five or six officers dressed all in black". | Lisa Fussell told the BBC she had been driving along the Portbury Hundred when she came across a scene of "chaos" involving two unmarked police cars and "five or six officers dressed all in black". |
"The air ambulance landed in front of us. The medics got out and ran to a red car. It looked like someone had been taken ill," she said. | "The air ambulance landed in front of us. The medics got out and ran to a red car. It looked like someone had been taken ill," she said. |
"It frightened us and it's upsetting now that we know he's been killed. He was someone's son." | "It frightened us and it's upsetting now that we know he's been killed. He was someone's son." |
The Great Western Air Ambulance's critical care team also attended. | The Great Western Air Ambulance's critical care team also attended. |
The road is likely to be closed for several hours. | The road is likely to be closed for several hours. |
The Portbury Hundred links the M5 motorway to the town of Portishead, to the west of Bristol. | The Portbury Hundred links the M5 motorway to the town of Portishead, to the west of Bristol. |