Plymouth shooting: Attacker identified after five killed in rare mass shooting in England

The youngest sufferer was Sophie Martyn, a 3-year-old who was killed alongside her 43-year-old father, Lee Martyn, in accordance with police. Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66, have additionally been identified as victims.

All of the shooting's victims lived regionally in the Keyham space of Plymouth, in accordance with the police assertion. Police in the realm are persevering with to research 13 scenes inside the cordon, it stated.

Davison first visited an handle on Biddick Drive in Keyham, the place he killed a girl who was identified to him, Constable Sawyer stated.

He then left the home and entered Biddick Drive, shooting and killing a younger woman, in addition to a male family member of the kid.

"This was a truly shocking event, and was witnessed by members of the public," Sawyer stated. Further alongside the highway he shot two native residents, who're in hospital however would not have life-threatening accidents. Sawyer added that Davison then entered native parkland, killed one other man and shot a girl who later died in hospital, earlier than turning the gun on himself.

Sawyer stated that eyewitnesses described the gun used as a pump-action shotgun. Police have recovered the weapon and are analyzing it, however should not but describing the type of gun used.

People in Britain are allowed to use for licenses to personal a shotgun or sporting rifle. The suspected shooter was a licensed firearms holder, Sawyer stated.

Investigation opened

England's police watchdog stated it's going to examine the decision-making of Devon and Cornwall police in relation to the gunman's possession of a shotgun and shotgun certificates.

"The investigation follows a mandatory referral from the force which contains preliminary information that Mr Davison's shotgun certificate and a shotgun were returned to him in early July this year," stated the Independent Office for Police Conduct in a press release launched Friday.

Local police had beforehand taken the certificates and shotgun from Davison in December 2020 following assault allegations in September 2020, in accordance with the IOPC.

"We will examine what police actions were taken and when, the rationale behind police decision-making, and whether relevant law, policy and procedures were followed concerning Mr Davison's possession of a shotgun," stated IOPC regional director David Ford. "The investigation will also consider whether the force had any information concerning Mr Davison's mental health and if so, if this information was appropriately considered."

Police haven't but established a motive. YouTube confirmed to CNN that it has eliminated an account related to the suspected shooter. "He is on social media, and that will be part of the investigation," Sawyer stated on the police press briefing.

Davison stated he was "defeated by life" and went on hateful rants about ladies on a YouTube channel that has been taken down.

In video clips seen by CNN, Davison makes quite a few derogatory remarks about ladies, calling them "very simple-minded" and shallow, ranting that the majority ladies are solely motivated by cash.

In one other video, which was reposted on-line by The Telegraph newspaper, Davison referred to himself as "the terminator" and stated he was "beaten down and defeated by life."

"I'm so beaten down and defeated by life ... that drive that I once had is gone. I try ... but I'm at the point now where it's like, why do I even bother," he stated on YouTube.

"The whole premise of the terminator movies is that everything is rigged against you," he stated in a video.

CNN has not confirmed when Davison filmed the clips. Luke Pollard, a member of parliament for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport verified to CNN that the person in the movies posted on YouTube was Davison. The video clips match pictures of Davison from his Facebook web page, which has additionally been eliminated.

'Devastating'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated his "thoughts are with the friends and family of those who lost their lives and with all those affected by the tragic incident in Plymouth last night."

Pollard had earlier tweeted that extra persons are being handled in hospital for accidents, and that at the very least a type of killed was a toddler.

"Just so unspeakably awful. My condolences and thoughts are with the families," Pollard added on Twitter. "I'm utterly devastated that one of the people killed in the #keyham shooting was a child under ten years old."

Lawmaker Johnny Mercer added that the incident was "serious and tragic" and described Thursday as a "truly devastating day."

Police appealed to the general public to not "speculate or share pictures of the scene on social media or anywhere else."