Portishead police shooting: Man dies after armed officers 'fire on car' on Portbury Hundred

Witness tells of ‘five or six shots’ as Independent Police Complaints Commission notified

Police photograph a red hatchback on the A369 near Portishead (BBC)

A man has died after a reported police shooting on a main road near Portishead, Somerset.

Avon and Somerset Police said the man died after an “incident involving police firearms” on the A369 Portbury Hundred, near Bristol, this morning. The incident is not terror-related, the force told The Independent.

A witness told the BBC he saw “five or six” shots.

David Ellison told the broadcaster: “Several police vehicles surrounded the car and I saw two police officers fire five, six, maybe 10 shots through the passenger window.

“They dragged a man from the car to resuscitate him.”

An air ambulance landed on the A369 Portbury Hundred near its junction with the M5, police said.

Great Western Air Ambulance charity told The Independent it had sent its critical care team to the incident, but could not confirm further details.

A car being photographed by police appeared to be an older model red Suzuki Swift hatchback.

The BBC reported it was this vehicle that had been surrounded by marked and unmarked police cars at about 9.30am before the shooting is said to have taken place.

There were at least four bullet holes in the off-side of the hatchback car, and what appeared to be a black handgun on the roof.

The scene has been cordoned off and officers in white forensic suits had erected a blue and white tent opposite a number of vehicles on the side of the road.

A body, covered by a blanket, lay in the road at the back of the near-side of the small hatchback car.

The body was mainly obscured by the blanket, an ambulance and police vehicles, though a right leg and white trainer could be seen.

The driver’s side front window was smashed, and there was blood and glass on the floor, as well as a sun hat.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: “We can confirm a man died earlier this morning in an incident involving police firearms on The Portbury Hundred (A369) in Portishead.

“We have referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. This has been a fast moving incident and is now under investigation by the IPCC.”

The IPCC told The Independent: “We are investigating an incident involving police firearms this morning on the A369 near Portishead in which a man has died.

“IPCC investigators are at the scene gathering evidence and are attending the post incident procedures.

“Our investigation is in its very early stages.”

The A369 is a major commuter route from Portishead to Bristol.

Additional reporting by agencies