CCTV shows moment off-duty special constable disarms gunman while getting food

Two men were arrested after the incident.

CCTV shows the moment a gunman was disarmed by an off-duty special constable (West Midlands Police/PA)

An off-duty special constable was getting food when he disarmed a suspected gunman moments after a shot was fired.

CCTV footage from inside a shop in the West Midlands shows the moment Abdullah Bin Imad was about to get something to eat before he saw two men acting suspiciously.

As he became increasingly wary of the pair’s behaviour, he went into a coffee shop to ring 999 and say he believed the pair had a gun.

Seconds later, a shot rang out and Abdullah ran out of the shop and detained one of the men before recovering a firearm.

This is a timely reminder that our officers are never truly off duty, of the value that special constables bring to the policing family and of the risks that they face on a daily basis

Det Supt Jim Munro, Birmingham Police

The video shows Mr Bin Imad restraining the man and keeping the gun out of his reach until armed officers arrived at the scene minutes later.

The 22-year-old electrical engineer said: “I wanted the suspect off the street and as far away from the public as possible.

“I was worried for other people’s safety because of what – from my point of view – I believed it to be a live and viable firearm.”

Detective Superintendent Jim Munro from Birmingham Police said: “Abdullah showed extreme bravery and didn’t waste any time putting his training to effect.

“He saw there was a potential threat to public safety and did the right thing by phoning for assistance.

“When the gun was fired, there’s no way he would have known that it was not a live firearm.

“He safely brought a suspect off the street and had the safety of the public at the forefront of his mind throughout.

“This is a timely reminder that our officers are never truly off duty, of the value that special constables bring to the policing family and of the risks that they face on a daily basis.”

Two men, aged 48 and 32, remain in custody for firearms offences and investigations continue.