- Police firearms’ officers shot through the windows of a stationary red Suzuki Swift after it was stopped on a slip road off the M5 at Portishead, North Somerset, killing the driver on Wednesday morning
- Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and West Mercia police have referred themselves to the IPCC
- Before the fatal shooting 999 calls were made reporting a driver waving a handgun at another motorist
Three police forces face being investigated over the fatal shooting of a motorist during rush hour at a busy motorway junction, it emerged today.
Police firearms’ officers shot through the windows of a stationary red Suzuki Swift after it was stopped on a slip road off the M5 at Portishead, North Somerset.
The driver was killed at the scene on Wednesday morning and police confirmed that a firearm had been recovered.
An aerial photograph shows the car with bullet holes in the bodywork and shattered glass lying on the tarmac. A handgun can be seen lying on the roof of the vehicle
It later emerged that before the fatal shooting 999 calls had been made reporting a driver waving a handgun at another motorist 50 miles away in Worcestershire.
Neighbouring police force Gloucestershire Constabulary was also informed as the vehicle passed through its force area.
Both Avon and Somerset Police and West Mercia later referred themselves as is standard practice following the shooting to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
Gloucestershire Police today said it had also referred itself to the IPCC.
The Suzuki Swift driver who died in a hail of bullets off the M5 was able to travel 54 miles down the motorway before he was shot dead an hour later, police revealed
Today the IPCC confirmed a post-mortem on the dead motorists had been carried out by a Home Office pathologist on Thursday
Today the IPCC confirmed a post-mortem on the dead motorists had been carried out by a Home Office pathologist on Thursday.
However no results were being released.
The man’s family has also been informed but no identity is likely to released until ‘early next week’, the IPCC said.
A spokesman for Gloucestershire Constabulary said: ‘At about 8.40am on Wednesday morning, Gloucestershire Constabulary was informed by the Central Motorway Policing Group (CMPG) that it had received a report of a vehicle travelling along the M5 in which a man appeared to be pointing a gun at another driver.
The man’s family has also been informed but no identity is likely to released until ‘early next week’, the IPCC said
The Independent Police Complaints Commission are now investigating the shoot-out and whether officers acted proportionately
Witnesses told how armed officers fired a hail of bullets that left the ageing vehicle’s windows smashed and its car body riddled with bullet holes. The victim was left dead on the road after they failed to resuscitate him
A handgun remained on the top of the car for at least an hour – it is not known if it is the dead man’s or belongs to police
‘The facts have been reported to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which is conducting an investigation into the fatal shooting on the M5 at Portishead.
‘Gloucestershire Constabulary has now referred itself to the IPCC.’
An IPCC spokesman said: ‘We have received a referral from West Mercia Police in relation to a report they received from a member of the public prior to the incident near Portishead.
‘We are assessing the referral and whether we should also investigate West Mercia Police actions.’
The IPCC could not confirm the Gloucestershire referral this afternoon.
Officers in white forensic suits erected a blue and white tent opposite a number of vehicles on the side of the road after the incident