Incident Description
At approximately 19:45 GMT, police received reports of a male suspect in possession of a firearm on Del Perro Pier. Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) were immediately dispatched, with Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) deployed to the scene. Officers quickly established a cordon and began evacuating members of the public to safety.
On arrival at 19:52 GMT, the suspect was located on the pier, visibly armed and acting in an aggressive manner. Attempts to de-escalate the situation were made, but at 19:58 GMT, the suspect discharged a firearm in the direction of officers. In response to the immediate threat, AFOs returned fire, striking the suspect. Firearms officers then moved in, securing the weapon and administering immediate first aid.
At 20:05 GMT, emergency medical services were deployed, including ambulances, advanced paramedics, and the NHS Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) due to the nature of the incident. Specialist paramedics arrived at 20:18 GMT and took over medical care before transporting the suspect a major truma hospital under armed police escort.
No members of the public or officers were injured during the incident. A full forensic examination is now underway, and the pier remains closed while officers carry out further investigations.
A spokesperson for the local police force said:
"This was a fast-moving and dangerous situation, and our officers acted swiftly to ensure public safety. The suspect remains in hospital, and as per standard procedure, an independent investigation will be conducted following the discharge of police firearms. We ask anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward."
The incident is being treated as a serious firearms offence, and police will maintain a presence in the area overnight.
