Neighbours tell inquest of horror at confronting killer during Keyham gun spree

Jake Davison shot dead five people and then himself in an armed rampage in a Plymouth suburb in August 2021.

Jake Davison killed five people in a gun rampage in Keyham in August 2021 (PA) (PA Media)

Witnesses have spoken of their terror at being faced by a smirking gunman during his killing spree, an inquest has heard.

Neighbours of Jake Davison heard gunshots and went into the street to see what was happening and were confronted by him on the evening of August 12 2021.

One resident asked the 22-year-old, “Jake, what the f*** have you done?” before Davison walked towards him and began reloading the pump-action shotgun.

Ben Parsonage scrambled inside his parents’ home seconds before the apprentice crane operator opened fire – blasting two shots into the front door.

Mr Parsonage, who had previously worked with Davison for a scaffolding company, suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen, while his mother, Michelle Parker, suffered injuries to her arm and wrist.

In a written statement, he told the inquest he had gone into the street after hearing gunshots and saw Davison holding the weapon to his shoulder.

“I stood there and shouted, ‘Jake, what the f*** have you done?’ and Jake started to walk towards me and was looking at me as he did so. As he walked up to me, he was reloading the gun.”

Mr Parsonage said he ran back inside his parent’s house and pushed his mother to the ground and went to shut the door.

I could now see Jake through the damaged door, and he had a smirk on his face, like he didn’t care what he was doing. He looked focused, still stood in the same place

Ben Parsonage, witness

“As I shut the door, I can no longer see him, but I instantly heard a loud bang on the right hand glass panel and the inside the glass smashed.

“He fired another shot and the left hand panel was now smashed.

“I could now see Jake through the damaged door, and he had a smirk on his face, like he didn’t care what he was doing. He looked focused, still stood in the same place.”

His mother told the hearing she could remember hearing three or four loud bangs.

“We all heard them and looked at each other but didn’t say anything. I just assumed it was fireworks,” Mrs Parker said.

She said she went to her kitchen window and saw two bodies on the pavement on the opposite side of the street.

“After Ben shouted at him, he turned and he took a step or two towards us,” she said.

“I can clearly remember Jake’s face and he was looking straight at us, staring right through us. He had no remorse.

“All I remember is Ben shouting, ‘He’s got a gun’ and he turned and pushed me back into the house.

“I heard a loud bang and the glass in the door shattered.”

Mrs Parker said their family rushed upstairs but later went outside into the street and saw the bodies of Lee Martyn and his daughter Sophie and knew they were dead.

In her statement, Mrs Parker said: “I would like to stay this incident has left me angry.

“It appears to me that Jake had autism, was violent and had a firearm returned to him.

“I am scared. I am scared to open my front door or leave my window open, I’m scared to sleep without the bathroom light on.

“I shouldn’t have to do that, so I am angry.”

Another neighbour, Ruth Dowse, heard gunshots and went into the street to see Davison – whom she recognised – walking into the nearby Linear Park.

Ms Dowse, a police staff investigator and trained first aider, said she phoned police to identify Davison and then went to assist Mr Martyn and his daughter but it was clear they were dead.

“At this time, I heard three or four more shots that were further away, and I think they came from the direction of Henderson Place,” she said.

“A man asked me if I could look at two people who were in a house injured.”

The inquest also heard that Davison’s final victim, Kate Shepherd, was helped by van driver Stephen Randle and his son who stopped after seeing her calling for help.

Mr Randle said they saw a man walking away from them and his son told him he was carrying a gun.

“My son said to me, ‘He’s got a gun’. This comment didn’t really sink in,” he said.

He told the court he followed the gunman into Bedford Street but could not see him and returned to Henderson Place.

“The police officers took over giving first aid to the female,” he said.

“I estimate we had been around there for around five minutes when I looked up and I saw the male coming out of Bedford Street.

“The police officer has told the other persons in the street to run for cover.

“The police officer immediately walked towards the male. He was talking to the male in a calm and kind manner trying to calm the male down.

“He was trying to get the man to put the firearm down.

“I thought this was extremely brave because I knew the police officer was unarmed and facing a man with a gun who had already shot one person.

“I don’t know how close the police officer got to the male before the male pulled the trigger. He then collapsed to the ground.

“The next thing I remember is two armed officers stood over the male pointing their guns at the male who was lying on the ground.

“It was obvious he was dead.”