Bodycam captures moment teenage gunman pulls weapon on police officer

Body-worn video has captured the moment a 19-year-old pulled a gun on a police officer as she investigated a reported burglary.

In the clip, PC Jemma Follows enters a house in Stourbridge and moves cautiously through the hallway, as a young man steps out of a doorway and raises the weapon.

PC Follows then levels her Taser at him and he flees. “What are you doing?” she demands, eliciting only a surprised grunt in response.

Over the radio, the officer can be heard telling a colleague: “Cover the back mate, I’ve got my Taser.”

She later used it on another teenager inside the Park Street house who was carrying a knife, West Midlands Police said.

The video cuts to PC Follows leaving the house and commandeering an idling taxi to chase down the gunman.

Two hours later Reece Lones, of no fixed address, was arrested in Stourbridge High Street, the force said.

The investigating officer, Detective Constable David Franks, said: “This was fantastic police work by PC Follows. She kept her calm throughout, and whether she was dealing with members of the public or suspects, she knew exactly what to do.”

Lones’ weapon was later found to be a BB gun designed to resemble a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

He admitted to police the gun was pointed at PC Follows as he moved out of the doorway, West Midlands said, but added it was not done deliberately.

PC Follows, 29, said: “When I saw it, I thought anything could happen. Was I about to be shot?

“It has reminded me not to be complacent. I’ve been to similar jobs since and to a degree, I did think, ’Is the same thing going to happen again?’

“It does stick with me. It’s a reminder not to let your guard down too much because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Lones admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and was jailed for 27 months on Tuesday at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The confrontation took place on 18 November 2017.