Gunman held firearms licence

Chief constable confirms Plymouth details

The man who shot and killed five people in Plymouth held a firearms licence.

Chief constable Shaun Sawyer has confirmed that a weapon has been recovered from the scene at Keyham in Plymouth. Locals have described it as a pump-action shotgun, but Mr Sawyer says they are unable to confirm that at the moment.

Firearms officers did not discharge their own weapons when the reached the scene because the killer, Jake Davison, 22, had already turned the weapon on himself.

Three females, one of whom is confirmed as "a very young girl", and two males, was killed by Mr Davison in a shooting spree which lasted just a few minutes. Two other people are in hospital with gunshot wounds.

Thirteen different scenes in the Keyham area of Plymouth are involved in the investigation.

Mr Sawyer says a lady at the first address had a "familial" relationship with the offender and someone killed at a second address may have been known to him.

He says names of the victims are not being released at the moment whilst their wider families and places where they work are informed. 

Mr Sawyer says he is extremely proud of the response of his officers, who reached the scene in about six minutes. He says it wasn't long between the first death and Mr Davison killing himself - but it will be for the coroner to determine whether the police response was sufficient.

The chief constable says only one firearm has been recovered. Mr Davison was known to police only because of his firearms' licence, but officers are looking into his background.

Mr Sawyer explained that although the two people in hospital with injuries are not in a "life-threatening" condition, being shot is life-changing, as it will be to many people who are impacted by the tragedy.