Gloucester car park used as shooting range as 'air rifle' shots found in walls

Concerns have been raised as 'shots from a rifle' can be seen in the walls of a car park in Gloucester. The 'air weapon' damage is thought to be recent and can be seen in a metal covering a wall in the car park.

The 'weapon' damage at the Kings Walk car park believed to be recent and was seen on Thursday (January 16), and subsequently reported to Gloucestershire police. There are other signs of anti-social behaviour across the levels of the parking area, including graffiti and evidence of previously lit fires.

Community Independent Councillors Alastair Chambers (Matson, Robinswood and White City) has been on a mission to ensure car parks across Gloucester are safe. He wants to ensure spaces are safe following an incident of concrete falling from council owned car park ceilings

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He said: "I have been conducting audits of Gloucester City Council car parks as part of my ongoing checks into health and safety breaches, particularly following incidents of concrete falling from council-owned car park ceilings. During my surveys, I observed that solid metal capping placed over concrete copings showed numerous holes and dents.

"Worryingly, upon closer inspection, I discovered that the metal had been struck approximately 30 times by what appeared to be shots from an air rifle. This strongly suggests that the council car park has been misused as a makeshift shooting range.

"The pattern of the shots indicates they were fired by an inexperienced individual, with a wide spread resulting in many shots missing the metal and concrete entirely. Alarmingly, these stray shots appear to have travelled toward the Guildhall’s public entrance door, which is directly behind the low-level wall that was used as the target.

"This damage appears to be recent, as I have not noticed it during previous inspections I have reported this to the police, and the incident has been logged under reference number 250/16/01/2025.

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"If anyone has any information about these shootings, please contact Gloucestershire Police and quote the reference number provided. The police advised me that it is anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. If the users are found with the air-riffle in a public place it could be raised to a higher weapons offence."

A Gloucestershire police spokeswoman said: "Police received a report at around 2.30pm (on 16 January) of damage to the top floor of King’s Walk car park. The caller reported finding indentations in some metal casing and some air rifle pellets nearby. Due to this, it is suspected to have been caused with an air weapon. Enquiries will now take place, including a review of CCTV."