Greenwich: Police shoot ‘gunman’ on south London bridge

Investigation launched after officers open fire and man taken to hospital

Armed police shot a man with a firearm in Greenwich, southeast London, Scotland Yard says.

A large number of officers, an air ambulance, a motorcycle paramedic and other emergency professionals all went to a bridge in Creek Road, and images showed parademics appearing to treat someone on the pavement.

The man was taken to hospital and an investigation has been launched.

The alert began as the Metropolitan Police received numerous 999 reports of an armed man after witnesses said they believed they had heard gunfire.

“Firearms officers attended the scene. The man was located. A police firearm was discharged and the man sustained a gunshot injury,” police said in a statement.

“London Ambulance Service and the Air Ambulance also attended. He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital. We await an update on his condition.”

No other injuries were reported, Scotland Yard said, but “significant” cordons were in place between Greenwich Town Centre and Deptford.

Police at the scene (PA)

“The investigation is in its early stages. At present there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to the wider public.

“The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 2.42pm today to reports of a shooting in Creek Road, Greenwich,” the News Shopper reported.

“We sent a number of resources including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic, a motorcycle paramedic, a medic in a fast response car and an incident response officer, and we also dispatched medics from London’s Air Ambulance.

“We treated a man at the scene and took him as a priority to a major trauma centre.”

A London Air Ambulance spokesperson said: “Our advanced trauma team was dispatched via aircraft by London Ambulance Service at 14.47 today to reports of a shooting in the Greenwich area.

“After treatment on scene, the patient was transferred by road to a major trauma hospital accompanied by London’s Air Ambulance.”

The bridge at Creek Road was closed and the A200 was closed in both directions. People were asked to avoid the area.

The number of cases of police England and Wales using guns has dropped to an eight-year low, latest figures show.