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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Ted Hennessey

Man with ‘chainsaw and gas mask’ shot by police who ‘feared gun or bomb’

The shooting happened at around 9pm close to The Park Gate Inn (Gareth Fuller/PA) - (PA Wire)

A chainsaw-wielding man wearing a gas mask and body armour was shot by police, who believed he had a firearm or bomb in Kent, a watchdog said.

The shooting happened at around 9pm close to The Park Gate Inn in Hollingbourne, near Maidstone.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said that Kent Police officers went to a house in Ashford Road at around 7.15pm on Monday to arrest a man on suspicion of assault.

The man refused to leave the house and armed officers were deployed, the IOPC said.

The watchdog said in a statement: “We have seen officers’ body worn footage which shows the man, aged in his mid-30s, holding a chainsaw and another object in his hand, which, at the time, officers believed appeared to be a handmade firearm or IED (improvised explosive device).

“He was also wearing a gas mask and body armour.

“We can confirm a first baton round was fired by police and the man then took cover behind a hedge.

“Officers moved in and a police dog was deployed. The man ignored orders to put down the chainsaw and a second baton round was discharged and then, seconds later, he moved towards officers and was shot by an officer with a conventional firearm.”

Officers found weapons at the scene, including a chainsaw and a device which was “made safe” by a bomb squad, the IOPC added.

Kent Police said that the incident was not terror-related.

The man had wounds to his arm and abdomen and remains in hospital having suffered what are thought to be “life-changing” injuries.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “Police shootings are fortunately rare, however, given a man has been injured after being shot by police, our role is to independently investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this incident including the actions and decisions taken by the police.

“Based on analysis of evidence gathered to date, no police officer is under investigation for either misconduct or criminality – they are being treated as witnesses.

“We appreciate that the community will want answers quickly and our investigators are working hard to establish the facts and piece together what occurred.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected.”

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