Man Arrested After Dramatic Armed Police Shootout in Bournemouth
Armed Police Lock Down Street After Shooting
Armed Dorset Police officers swooped on a street near Castlepoint Cooperative supermarket in Bournemouth last night, placing the area on lockdown following a gunfire incident.
The drama unfolded around 8pm on Tuesday as a black Mercedes, tyres blown out by police gunfire, was abandoned in the middle of Castle Lane West. Paramedics and a rapid response officer from the South Western Ambulance Service rushed to the scene.
Chase Ends with Gunfire and Arrest
Witnesses described a high-speed police chase, with armed officers shouting ‘stop’ at the vehicle — but it kept speeding away before being forced to halt. Several loud bangs rang out during the pursuit.
“At first, I thought it was some kind of police exercise,” said one onlooker. “Then I saw people in balaclavas with guns.”
One man, wearing police headgear, was detained at the scene. Another man, aged 36, was arrested, with a woman also in the car who was unharmed.
Serious Assault Investigation Sparks Shooting
The stop was related to an ongoing investigation into a serious assault that took place on Wimborne Road on 2 August.
During the confrontation, officers discharged a firearm. One man from the vehicle was shot in the arm and taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Reports claim a police officer was stabbed earlier trying to stop the car, and rumours circulate that the police action may have involved a drugs raid. There are unconfirmed claims a passerby on a bike was hit by a stray bullet.
Police Investigation Underway
A police cordon remains in place as investigations continue. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has been alerted and will review the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Dorset Police have yet to issue a full statement.
