Residents of St Edward Street in Newport have described their disbelief after a man armed with a 'massive' crossbow was shot by police in the early hours of Saturday. The incident occurred around midnight on Friday, July 10, when armed officers flooded the residential street in the Baneswell area.
Police Response and Shooting
According to witnesses, a man was seen hanging out of a top-floor window, pointing the crossbow at police and threatening to shoot. Two armed officers took cover behind a car, aiming their firearms at the suspect. In CCTV footage obtained by WalesOnline, officers can be heard attempting to calm the man. The suspect then moved from the window to the front door, still aiming the crossbow at police, at which point a firearms officer shot him.
The man fell to the ground, and a woman inside the property was heard screaming. Police immediately administered CPR and used a defibrillator before paramedics arrived. The 21-year-old from Newport was transported to hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.
Witness Accounts
One anonymous neighbour said: 'I have never seen anything like it, there were about six police vehicles with armed police leaning over the top of cars pointing their guns at a man who was carrying a crossbow. He was saying ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry’ to the officers he was threatening to shoot. It’s frightening to think that there are people living next to you with such an offensive weapon.'
Another resident described the crossbow as 'massive, it must have been about as tall as me when fully extended. They laid it out on the ground after and I couldn't believe the size of it. The gunshot just sounded like a firework, it was nothing like what you see on TV.'
Police Statement
A Gwent Police spokesperson said: 'We were called to an address in St Edward Street, Newport, at around 11.55pm on Friday, July 10 following reports of threatening behaviour. Officers attended, along with specially-trained firearms officers, after a man was spotted in possession of a weapon believed to be a crossbow. During our response, a 21-year-old Newport man was shot by officers with a police-issued firearm. The man received first aid at the scene and was taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition.'
Deputy Chief Constable Nicholas McLain added: 'We understand the concern that this matter may cause within our communities, but there is no ongoing risk to the public as this is an isolated incident. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with it. While reports of offences involving firearms and weapons are rare in Gwent, we take all reports of this nature seriously and respond to them in a professional and proportionate manner based on the level of risk posed by the available information.'
Ongoing Investigation
Police remained at the scene until around 5pm on Saturday, maintaining a cordon and preventing access to St Edward Street. A small yellow evidence marker and a bullet shell were placed outside one resident's front door. Authorities are appealing for anyone with information, including CCTV or dashcam footage, to contact them on 101, quoting log reference 2600220612, or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
