Eva Deschamps / August 13, 2021
Law enforcement and emergency services were called to a serious firearms incident late in the day in a residential area of the city near the docks.
Two women and two men died at the scene, police said Thursday night, after hours of uncertainty surrounding the incident. Another man, believed to be the attacker, also died at the scene.
We believe that all of them died of gunshot wounds, law enforcement officials said, stressing that the event was not related to terrorism.
Shortly after police confirmed the death toll, local deputy Luke Pollard reacted on Twitter by assuring that one of the victims was a child under the age of ten.
Other injured people are being treated in hospital, added the Labour MP. There are no words for this horror. My condolences and thoughts are with the families.
Uncertainty remains about the link between the shooter and the victims, as well as many of the details of what happened in this town of about 262,000 people in the quiet county of Devon.
Police wish to emphasize that this is not a terrorist incident, added the police, who said they were not looking for anyone in connection with the shooting. The investigation is ongoing, they assured.
Sharron, a female witness, who agreed to reveal only her first name to the BBC, said she heard screams, followed by several shots. The gunman kicked down the door of a house and started shooting, she said. He came out of the house continuing to shoot and continued to shoot at people on the street.
Robert Pinkerton, a second witness, told the British television station that he turned a corner and came across a guy with a gun dressed all in black.
Referring to the shocking events, about which she did not provide any details, Interior Minister Priti Patel said her thoughts were with those affected. I ask everyone to remain calm, to follow the advice of the police and to allow our emergency services to do their job, she added.
Mass killings remain rare in the United Kingdom, where most police officers do not carry firearms and the southwest of England, a popular tourist destination, is known as a peaceful part of the country.