Whitehaven shooting: Derrick Bird's body found
Updated on 02 June 2010
The body of Derrick Bird, wanted in connection with shootings in the West Cumbria area today, has been found, police say. They confirm there are a number of fatalities. It is understood Derrick Bird was a local taxi driver.
One local resident told Channel 4 News how he and locals have been told to remain indoors.
Armed police are attempting to apprehend a man after gunshots were fired, and ambulance crews said several other people were injured.
Two military helicopters have been scrambled to the scene, while nearby troops are on standby, the Ministry of Defence told Channel 4 News.
The shooting is understood to have taken place in Duke Street at 10.35am. Police were initially called after shots were fired there.
Members of the public in Whitehaven and Egremont have been urged to stay indoors until further notice.
Police are looking for a dark grey or silver Citroen Picasso car. A male driver may have been involved.
A police statement issued at 12:35 said: "We can confirm that a number of people have been injured after shots were fired in the Whitehaven, Seascale and Egremont areas this morning.
"There are a number of fatlities and police are working to identify the individuals and inform relatives. Ambulance crews are in attendance across the area."
Cumbria shootings
- Cumbria police: latest information
Derrick Bird has abandoned his car in the Boot area and is now believed to be travelling by foot, according to a statement on the Cumbria police website issued at 1pm today.
The statement continues: "Police who are in pursuit of him are urging mbmers of the public in the Boot area to shelter indoors until further notice.
Nathaniel Jepson, who lives in the area, is presently locked up in a school hall with around 50 other people. He told Channel 4 News: "We're in a school in Egremont.. Everything's locked down at the moment.
"Just over an hour ago we heard firing. We had been working in the ground of the school. We heard some sirens.
Channel 4 News reporter Nick Martin writes -
The Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria has been secured and staff have been locked in following news of the shooting.
The gates to the site near Seascale in West Cumbria have been closed and armed police are on patrol, a spokesman told Channel 4 News.
The site is less than five miles from where shots were fired in Whitehaven earlier today. A spokesman for Sellafield said: "Following the off site incident this morning involving firearms, all Sellafield site gates will remain closed until we have been advised there is no longer an off site risk to our employees.
"Morning shift personnel should remain at their posts or wait in a tea bar/canteen if not required on plant.
"“Afternoon shift have been advised not to attend site until Cumbria Constabulary have removed or reduced the off site risk and road blocks removed. Workers have been warned not to congregate at the gates or the perimeter fence and some staff leaving their shi fts today may even be given armed escorts.
"Our current priority remains the welfare of our employees," said the spokesman.
"A local shouted over the fence: someone's just been shot.
"The police told the caretaker to get everyone in, so he rounded all the site workers up. There were students working in the school as well.
"All the outer gates were locked. We're in an auditorium now. The windows have been locked.
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"There's probably over 50 in the auditorium at the moment.
"We've got a radio but we just know that someone was shot. It's just word of mouth, really.
"The rumour is that the guy has gone from Whitehaven, shooting as he goes, to Egremont and then to Seascale. That's what we've heard."
A local resident who works for Sellafield at Frizington told Channel 4 News the shooting was rumoured to have started at around 11am this morning.
