A man was shot by armed police in Bury, Greater Manchester, after he allegedly drove directly at officers. The incident occurred on Bury New Road in Whitefield on Friday afternoon, prompting a major police response and road closures.
Incident Details
At around 3pm on Friday, May 22, police attempted to stop a vehicle on Bury New Road. The car failed to stop and, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), drove directly at officers in an attempt to flee. In response, a GMP firearms officer discharged a weapon, striking the driver in the arm.
The driver, a 20-year-old white British man, was taken to hospital with an arm injury described as neither life-threatening nor life-changing. No police officers were injured. He has since been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
Police Response
GMP has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as per standard procedure. The force has stated that the incident is not being treated as terror-related and has no relevance to the Manchester Arena bombing anniversary. The initial reason for attempting to stop the vehicle was unrelated to the local area.
Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop from GMP's Serious Crime Division said: "We know people in the area will be concerned by what has happened and the visible increase in police officers in the local area as our investigations continue. Thankfully no members of the wider public, or officers were harmed in the incident this afternoon and we thank people for their patience while we remain at the scene."
Scene Description
Witnesses reported hearing two gunshots moments before an air ambulance landed at nearby Victoria Park. Tactical Aid Units and Crime Scene Investigators were seen examining the area. Within a cordoned-off zone, a vehicle appeared to have its rear window smashed, with glass fragments on the ground. As of 11pm on Friday, Bury New Road remained closed between Barn Street and junction 17 of the M60, according to traffic monitoring website Inrix.
Residents were advised to speak with officers at the scene if they had any concerns. The investigation is ongoing.
