Police In Shoot-out In West London

By Sky News SkyNews - Tuesday, May 6 09:23 pm

A gunman involved in a stand-off with armed police in west London has fired more shots.

Officers were called to the Markham Square area, off King's Road, Chelsea, after members of the public heard gunshots.

They came under fire at the scene and a police spokesman confirmed that officers fired back.

One eyewitness told Sky News: "From what I heard it seems to have been a domestic argument.

"I was in one of the stores three or four doors down from where it happened.

"I was in a changing room and a lady came in very panicked and crying and screaming a little bit.

"It seemed that her ex-partner was the one shooting - I don't know if he was shooting at her.

"It seemed that an argument started and, as she put it, it got out of hand. There was also a gentleman with her. I don't know if he was anything to do with the argument but it seems that it was of that nature."

Sky's Home Affairs correspondent Mark White said: "There are many conflicting reports but it seems this gunman is holed up in a block of flats after an exchange of fire with armed police.

"Police are preparing for a protracted situation."

He said there have been no reported injuries.

The area has been sealed off.

A police officer at a cordon told local residents that shots were fired out of a jewellery shop called Folli Follie on the King's Road opposite the entrance to Markham Square, although this could not be confirmed.

The shots came from a house in Markham Square, hitting a home opposite.

The owner of the house which came under fire told Sky News the gunman is a man in his late twenties with dark hair, who was brandishing a shotgun.

He fired into one of her second floor bedrooms, sending shot spraying over pictures in the room and breaking the window.

She was outside with a friend, heard gunshots and went upstairs to see him re-loading the gun.

The woman said: "It's just very strange. I think it's going to hit me tomorrow, I don't know why someone was shooting at my house.

"I have no idea who he is, I've never seen him in my life."

A brother and sister out shopping on the King's Road told how they saw armed officers running away from Markham Square in a panic after the shots were fired, shouting: "Get the hell out, this is serious."

Georges Gillioz, 29, and his sister Poppy saw officers on either side of a doorway in the square.

Then suddenly they heard about six shots, which they described as having a "pop pop pop" sound like a pistol rather than a machine gun.

Ms Gillioz, a personal assistant, recalled seeing the first police arrive moments earlier.

She said: "I noticed them putting their weapons together, then saw them position themselves.

"Then I saw them getting their riot shields out. They were covering a door in Markham Square.

"Then there was the sound of commotion, then shots - I can't remember in what order.

"Four armed officers ran down on to the King's Road away from there. They looked panicked."

• Email Story
• IM Story
• Printable View
• Blog This
• Post a Comment

Recommend this article

Sponsored Links

(What’s this?)