Arrest after police shoot man with baton round

Jul 4 2008 by Jule Wilson, The Journal

NEIGHBOURS spoke of their shock yesterday after armed police shot a suspected gunman with a baton round.

A 22-year-old man, named locally as David Bates, was shot by officers at an address in Redland Avenue, Kenton, on Wednesday before being wrestled to the ground, subdued with a Taser gun and arrested.

At around 11pm, armed officers were sent to the street following reports that a man had been threatening to shoot passers-by from a window.

Although it is now thought the “weapon” was nothing more than a handgun-shaped cigarette lighter, one man who witnessed the drama said he felt the police had acted appropriately.

The man in his 20s, who wished not to be named, said: “The police had no choice but to take action and it was all quite dramatic.

“I’ve never before heard a gun shot but this was very real. It was quite an ordeal and he was screaming but he had been given a warning to drop whatever it was he was holding and said it would take a bullet to stop him – well it did.

“I don’t believe anyone deserves to get shot, but he was asking for it and the police just did their job.”

Mr Bates was taken to hospital but suffered no lasting injuries.

Mum-of-three, Kim Boyes, 38, who lives next door said: “David had something up his sleeve and made out it was a gun. He wouldn’t put it down and the police fired.” Northumbria Police Chief Constable Mike Craik said: “At about 11pm last night, police were called to an incident in Redland Avenue, Kenton, Newcastle, where a man was reported to have made threats with a firearm. Armed officers were deployed and on arrival found a man holding what they also believed to be a firearm with which he was threatening members of the public.

“He was repeatedly challenged by officers but continued to threaten members of the public.

“A shot was fired by one of the officers which missed. A second officer who was armed with a baton gun then immediately fired a baton round at the suspect.

“The baton round struck the man which caused him to drop his weapon and fall to the ground. As officers advanced, the man continued to resist and struggled with officers who were attempting to arrest him. As a result, officers used a Taser to enable them to make the arrest.

“A 22-year-old man has been arrested by officers at the scene for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He is currently in custody.

“The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been contacted in line with procedures for an incident where a police firearm has been discharged and they will be supervising the investigation into the police use of firearms in this incident.

“The weapon the man was holding at the time he was shot has been recovered and will be subject to forensic examination, although at this stage it is not believed to be a real firearm.”