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| More police join gun suspect hunt | More police join gun suspect hunt |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Raoul Thomas Moat should not be approached, police have said | Raoul Thomas Moat should not be approached, police have said |
| More armed officers have been drafted in to help find a man thought to have shot his ex-girlfriend, killed her partner and wounded a policeman. | More armed officers have been drafted in to help find a man thought to have shot his ex-girlfriend, killed her partner and wounded a policeman. |
| Raoul Thomas Moat is being hunted after karate instructor Chris Brown, 29, was shot dead at a house in Birtley, Gateshead, early on Saturday. | |
| Moat's former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, 22, who was living with Mr Brown was also shot and is in hospital. | Moat's former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, 22, who was living with Mr Brown was also shot and is in hospital. |
| Pc David Rathband, 42, was later wounded while in his patrol car. | Pc David Rathband, 42, was later wounded while in his patrol car. |
| Extra officers have been drafted in from forces across the north of England. | Extra officers have been drafted in from forces across the north of England. |
| Detectives believe the triple shooting was sparked by a grudge against Mr Brown and Miss Stobbart, which developed into a vendetta against the police. | Detectives believe the triple shooting was sparked by a grudge against Mr Brown and Miss Stobbart, which developed into a vendetta against the police. |
| Moat is understood to have fired at Miss Stobbart - with whom he had a six year on-off relationship - through the living room window of a house in the Scafell area of Birtley. | Moat is understood to have fired at Miss Stobbart - with whom he had a six year on-off relationship - through the living room window of a house in the Scafell area of Birtley. |
| Moments later Mr Brown, 29, is believed to have left the property - only to be shot a few metres from the front door. | Moments later Mr Brown, 29, is believed to have left the property - only to be shot a few metres from the front door. |
| Early on Sunday, a man identified as Moat was linked to the shooting of Pc Rathband in East Denton, Newcastle. | Early on Sunday, a man identified as Moat was linked to the shooting of Pc Rathband in East Denton, Newcastle. |
| Detectives said the married father-of-two, with 10 years' experience on the force, was blasted through the passenger window of his car in an "unprovoked" attack. He had been parked at a roundabout. | Detectives said the married father-of-two, with 10 years' experience on the force, was blasted through the passenger window of his car in an "unprovoked" attack. He had been parked at a roundabout. |
| Miss Stobbart is believed to have a two-year-old daughter with Moat | Miss Stobbart is believed to have a two-year-old daughter with Moat |
| Northumbria Police said extra firearms officers from forces including Cleveland, Humberside, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Cumbria, had been brought in overnight. | Northumbria Police said extra firearms officers from forces including Cleveland, Humberside, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Cumbria, had been brought in overnight. |
| A Northumbria force spokesman said: "Overnight a large scale operation has been launched involving a large number of officers including specialist search teams, armed response units, force helicopter and dog handlers who have been taking part in a co-ordinated response. | A Northumbria force spokesman said: "Overnight a large scale operation has been launched involving a large number of officers including specialist search teams, armed response units, force helicopter and dog handlers who have been taking part in a co-ordinated response. |
| "Officers have been contacting people Moat has been known to associate with, speaking to them to see if they can assist with the search. | "Officers have been contacting people Moat has been known to associate with, speaking to them to see if they can assist with the search. |
| "This is a methodical operation which has officers working to collate information from a wide range of sources. | "This is a methodical operation which has officers working to collate information from a wide range of sources. |
| "This operation, together with high-profile patrols with officers fully briefed to locate Moat, is ongoing. | "This operation, together with high-profile patrols with officers fully briefed to locate Moat, is ongoing. |
| "These efforts together with the large scale media response has played a major part in making the public aware of the police operation." | "These efforts together with the large scale media response has played a major part in making the public aware of the police operation." |
| Before the attacks began Moat's Facebook status was changed to read: "Just got out of jail, I've lost everything, my business, my property and to top it all off my lass has gone off with someone else. | Before the attacks began Moat's Facebook status was changed to read: "Just got out of jail, I've lost everything, my business, my property and to top it all off my lass has gone off with someone else. |
| "Watch and see what happens." | "Watch and see what happens." |
| Police believe the first shooting, in which Mr Brown was killed and Miss Stobbart critically injured, happened at about 0240 BST on Saturday. | Police believe the first shooting, in which Mr Brown was killed and Miss Stobbart critically injured, happened at about 0240 BST on Saturday. |
| It has also emerged Moat contacted the police at about the same time Pc Rathband was shot. | It has also emerged Moat contacted the police at about the same time Pc Rathband was shot. |
| Temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim, added: "All available officers, including a number from other forces, have been actively involved in the sustained search for Moat. | Temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim, added: "All available officers, including a number from other forces, have been actively involved in the sustained search for Moat. |
| "We are still appealing for help from the public. If anyone knows where this man is we urgently need them to contact us straight away. | "We are still appealing for help from the public. If anyone knows where this man is we urgently need them to contact us straight away. |
| "Friends who may think they are helping him are merely prolonging this situation which we need to safely resolve. | "Friends who may think they are helping him are merely prolonging this situation which we need to safely resolve. |
| "Innocent people have been shot, one killed and two others seriously wounded, and these events have shocked local people. | "Innocent people have been shot, one killed and two others seriously wounded, and these events have shocked local people. |
| "Police do not believe him to be a general threat to the public at large. He has specific grievances against certain individuals and groups. | "Police do not believe him to be a general threat to the public at large. He has specific grievances against certain individuals and groups. |
| "However the advice remains the same - if you see him do not approach him but call the police straight away." | "However the advice remains the same - if you see him do not approach him but call the police straight away." |
| Det Ch Supt Neil Adamson said Moat had been under the impression that Miss Stobbart had been having an affair with a Northumbria police officer. | Det Ch Supt Neil Adamson said Moat had been under the impression that Miss Stobbart had been having an affair with a Northumbria police officer. |
| But he said Mr Brown, who had moved to the area from Slough, did not have anything to do with the police. | But he said Mr Brown, who had moved to the area from Slough, did not have anything to do with the police. |
| It is not known whether Moat is on foot or travelling in a vehicle but police said he was armed and dangerous. | It is not known whether Moat is on foot or travelling in a vehicle but police said he was armed and dangerous. |
| All the victims were shot using a "shotgun-type weapon", said Mr Adamson. | All the victims were shot using a "shotgun-type weapon", said Mr Adamson. |
| Moat was released from an 18-week prison sentence on charges of assault on a family member last Thursday. | Moat was released from an 18-week prison sentence on charges of assault on a family member last Thursday. |
| Miss Stobbart's half-sister, Kelly Stobbart, said Moat was obsessed with his image. | Miss Stobbart's half-sister, Kelly Stobbart, said Moat was obsessed with his image. |
| She said the ex-nightclub doorman had a jealous personality which led to frequent rows with his former partner. | She said the ex-nightclub doorman had a jealous personality which led to frequent rows with his former partner. |
| "He always said that if he couldn't have her, no one else would," she said. | "He always said that if he couldn't have her, no one else would," she said. |
| Miss Stobbart's grandmother said Moat had previously threatened them with a firearm. | Miss Stobbart's grandmother said Moat had previously threatened them with a firearm. |
| Agnes Hornsby, 69, said: "He threatened us with a gun - all because she'd put on her Facebook that she was going out with a friend. | Agnes Hornsby, 69, said: "He threatened us with a gun - all because she'd put on her Facebook that she was going out with a friend. |
| "He was there for about two hours and she was on the phone to him trying to calm him down." | "He was there for about two hours and she was on the phone to him trying to calm him down." |
| Raoul Thomas Moat shot dead karate instructor Chris Brown, injured his ex-partner Samantha Stobbart and then shot Pc David Rathband, police say. | Raoul Thomas Moat shot dead karate instructor Chris Brown, injured his ex-partner Samantha Stobbart and then shot Pc David Rathband, police say. |
| Do you live in the area? What's your reaction to the shootings? Send us your comments using the form below. | Do you live in the area? What's your reaction to the shootings? Send us your comments using the form below. |