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.
Police were told suspected gunman Raoul Moat had threatened to harm his former girlfriend the day before she was shot and her boyfriend killed.
Raoul Thomas Moat is being hunted after karate instructor Chris Brown, 29, was shot dead at a house in Birtley, Gateshead, early on Saturday.
Samantha Stobbart, 22, was shot at the home she shared with Chris Brown, 29, in Birtley, Gateshead, on Saturday.
Moat's former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, 22, who was living with Mr Brown was also shot and is in hospital.
A police officer was also shot in his patrol car in Newcastle on Sunday.
Pc David Rathband, 42, was later wounded while in his patrol car.
Northumbria Police said Durham Prison told them of Moat's comments a day after his release on Thursday. The case has been referred to the IPCC.
Extra officers have been drafted in from forces across the north of England.
Det Ch Supt Neil Adamson also revealed police have received a hand-written letter in the past 24 hours purportedly from Moat, outlining a number of "grievances".
Detectives believe the triple shooting was sparked by a grudge against Mr Brown and Miss Stobbart, which developed into a vendetta against the police.
Miss Stobbart is said to be improving in hospital. Pc David Rathband, 42, remains in a critical condition after undergoing surgery for face and chest wounds.
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.
Mr Adamson said there were indications that other people may be at risk and a number of them had been given police protection.
Moments later Mr Brown, 29, is believed to have left the property - only to be shot a few metres from the front door.
He said he believed Moat was still in the north-east of England, but that he probably had access to a vehicle.
Early on Sunday, a man identified as Moat was linked to the shooting of Pc Rathband in East Denton, Newcastle.
He told a news conference at Northumbria Police headquarters in Ponteland that Ms Stobbart had appealed to Moat, saying "Please give yourself up. If you still loved me and our baby you would not be doing this."
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.
Temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim said the force had been told on Friday that Moat had threatened to harm Miss Stobbart and voluntarily referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints commission (IPCC).
Miss Stobbart is believed to have a two-year-old daughter with Moat
She said the force would "fully cooperate" with any IPCC investigation.
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.
"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 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."
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."
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.
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.
"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.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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