Five dead in gun rampage in tourist Cumbria
LONDON — At least five people were killed on Wednesday when a gunman went on the rampage in a tourist area of Cumbria, sparking a major police manhunt before the body…
LONDON — At least five people were killed on Wednesday when a gunman went on the rampage in a tourist area of Cumbria, sparking a major police manhunt before the body of the suspect was found.Shooting incidents were reported in 11 different locations in the scenic Lake District before police said they discovered the body of what is believed to be the gunman, 52-year-old Derrick Bird.Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "alarmed and shocked" by the shootings at the start of his first weekly grilling in the House of Commons after winning elections last month."At least five people have died," he said, adding: "The government will do everything it possibly can to help the local community and those affected."It was not immediately clear whether the death toll included the gunman.People in the area were warned to take shelter after the first killing was reported in the coastal town of Whitehaven in the Lake District, which is popular with hikers and climbers."There are a number of fatalities... ambulance crews are in attendance across the area," said a spokesman for Cumbria Constabulary.Police declined to confirm local radio reports that at least four people had been killed, while the BBC reported that there had been shooting incidents in 11 different places.The body believed to be that of the gunman was found after he had abandoned his car in a rural area inland from Whitehaven."I can confirm that we've found a body in a wooded area... which we believe to be Mr. Bird, together with a firearm," said Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde.One witness said the gunman drove up alongside him at traffic lights by Whitehaven police station."As I turned past the police station, I saw all these officers running out and realised something major was going on," Alan Hannah, 68, of Great Broughton, told the Whitehaven News."I saw a man with a large shotgun and his windscreen was smashed. I drove through the red light to get... out of the way."The gunman was reported to be a quiet man who worked as a taxi driver locally."Yo
last modification 2010-06-02 17:00:20
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