A 59-year-old man shot by armed police officers in a leafy suburb of Swindon yesterday afternoon has been arrested on suspicion of armed robbery.
Police received a called from a member of the public reporting that a man – armed with what appeared to be a handgun – had held up a N&B Food wholesaler and stolen a lorry.
A witness is understood to have followed the lorry whilst on the phone to police, and subsequently, armed officers managed to intercept it just 750 metres from where it was reportedly stolen.
In the stop in Ridge Green, off Shaw Road, a specialist firearms officer could be heard shouting ‘put the gun down’ repeatedly before the driver was shot in the leg. He was then flown to Bristol’s regional major trauma centre at Southmead Hospital.
The suspect’s injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, police said. He has since been arrested on suspicion of armed robbery.
Assistant Chief Constable Deb Smith said: “I want to thank everyone living in this part of Swindon for their patience and understanding while we dealt with last night’s incident.
“This was a rapidly developing situation which saw officers on the scene within minutes of the calls being made to us.
“I know it would have been very concerning for those living nearby and I want to reassure you that this was an isolated incident which was dealt with by specially trained officers.
“Due to the fact that a police firearm was discharged, this has been automatically referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and they will now be leading an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident.
“Finally, I want to thank all the officers and staff who attended what was a difficult and fast-paced situation.”
Officers from the Swindon Community Policing Team will be carrying out increased patrols in the area throughout today to provide an increased presence and reassurance for local people.
