Man 'with handgun' shot by police in Wiltshire
The man was shot in the leg and his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Wednesday 17 June 2020 00:55, UK
A man has been shot by police investigating reports of an armed robbery in Wiltshire.聽
The man, who is in his 50s, was shot in the leg by officers who were called to Rivermead Industrial Estate in Westlea just after 5pm on Tuesday.
He is believed to have been armed with a handgun and had allegedly stolen a lorry, Wiltshire Police said.
Witnesses said officers had repeatedly asked the man to put his weapon down.
Armed officers had stopped the lorry in the Ridge Green area when the shooting happened.
The injured man was airlifted to hospital and his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is standard when a firearm is discharged by police.
Superintendent Phil Staynings 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."
A spokesperson for the IOPC said investigators have been sent to the scene.
Local resident Corey Battacchio, 17, said he heard a "loud bang" from his bedroom but initially thought it was a firework as "nothing like that ever happens around here".
"At around 5:30pm, I heard numerous police sirens and three circulating helicopters, [one landed] so I went outside," he said.
Mr Battachio said the man was stopped by police in an unmarked vehicle.
"He was shouted at many times by police to 'put the gun down' and therefore was shot... 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."
The teenager said officers were shouting "put the gun down" for no longer than 30 seconds.
The road has been shut off and forensic officers are at the scene.