Swindon shooting: Police investigating armed robbery shoot man

‘He was shouted at many times by police to put the gun down,’ says witness

The scene in the Ridge Green area of Swindon, Wiltshire (PA)

A man has been shot by police during an armed robbery in Swindon, Wiltshire.

Officers were responding to reports that a man armed with a handgun had stolen a lorry at the Rivermead Industrial Estate in Westlea, shortly after 5pm.

The vehicle was intercepted by armed police in the Ridge Green area.

Wiltshire Police said that a man in his 50s suffered a leg wound after a police firearm was discharged.

The man was airlifted to hospital but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Local resident Corey Battacchio, 17, described how he heard a loud bang after police shouted repeatedly at the man to “put the gun down”.

He the told PA news agency: “At around 5:30pm, I heard numerous police sirens and three circulating helicopters, so I went outside.”

“He was shouted at many times by police to ‘put the gun down’ and therefore was shot. He was airlifted to hospital shortly after.”

Mr Battacchio added: “I was watching it from the window upstairs, but they were shouting loud at the guy as it seemed like he didn’t put the gun down immediately.”

Witshire Police said the incident had been automatically referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because of the discharge of a police firearm.

A spokesman for the IOPC, which has launched an independent investigation into the shooting, said: “We understand, at this time, that officers from Wiltshire Police were called to a disturbance shortly after 5pm today following reports of an armed robbery in Rivermead Industrial Estate, Westlea.

“During the incident, the man, in his 50s, was shot in the leg by a firearms officer. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

“We have sent investigators to the scene and to the post-incident procedures.”

Photographs from the scene showed forensic officers examining a lorry stopped on a road with its back doors open. Two police tents were erected near to the cab of the vehicle

Superintendent Phil Staynings of Wiltshire Police said: “I want to reassure the community that this incident was dealt with swiftly. Nobody else was injured and the incident is now contained.

“However, people living in the area will have seen a heavy police presence, which will continue throughout the evening.”

Additional reporting by Press Association