John
06-02-2010, 07:24 PM
Self-employed taxi driver Derrick Bird, began by reportedly shooting three colleagues in the town of Whitehaven, killing two of them.
The 52 year old then drove his cab through the countryside, opening fire on other people, apparently at random.
Following a manhunt, police found his body 20 miles away in woods near the hamlet of Boot about three-and-a-half hours after the first shootings.
Officers said they had recovered two weapons, adding Bird was believed to have taken his own life.
They also said there were 30 separate crime scenes in the investigation.
After the Whitehaven attacks, Bird, a divorced father of two, drove south along the coast.
Police said he made his way through Egremont, Gosforth and Seascale before turning inland and ending up in Boot.
Two people are thought to have been killed in Egremont.
A woman in her 60s is believed to have been shot dead outside the home of resident Billy Boakes.
Another man is understood to have been killed on the old bridge in the town. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a victim lying in a pool of blood.
One man was reportedly shot dead in Gosforth. He was reportedly in a field trimming hedges with his uncle when Bird drove past, wound down the car window and blasted him.
The dead man has been named locally as Gary Purdham, son of farmer John Purdham and the brother of Harlequins rugby player Rob Purdham, according to Sky sources.
Two people, one an elderly woman, were killed in Seascale, where local GPs were called to the scene, sources say.
Bird, from Rowrah near Frizington, was said to be friends with a fellow taxi driver he killed in Duke Street, Whitehaven, as he started his rampage at about 10.30am.
Glenda Pears, boss of L&G Taxis, said: "The lad that's been killed was friends with him. They used to stand together having a craic on the rank.
"He was friends with everybody and used to stand and joke on Duke Street."
A female taxi driver working for her had to swerve to avoid Bird's car immediately after the first shooting, she added.
She went on: "He was driving and she saw the gun. She was hysterical and had to pull over and stop. The gun was hanging out of the window. She's still shaken up.
"We are just numb at the moment. We just want to know what he's done it for."
Another Whitehaven cab driver, who did not want to be named, claimed an argument broke out between Bird and the other three men on Tuesday night at the Duke Street taxi rank.
He said: "All of the taxi drivers were friends. But I heard last night there was an argument on the taxi rank.
"I don't know what caused it, but something must have happened last night. Derrick Bird took off in his car and went home. I don't know what time of night it was."
Speaking about the shootings, Detective Constable Stuart Hyde said: "This has shocked the people of Cumbria and around the country to the core.
He went on: "Our condolences go out to families and friends of those affected by the horrific incidents that unfolded today.
"These are local people and local police who knew the people killed and injured today.
"It's been a truly exceptional and challenging incident that Cumbria Police has had to deal with today."
He added: "This has shocked the people of Cumbria and the country to the core.
"We will look into Mr Bird's history, his access to firearms and his motivation for the shootings."
Police have set up a casualty bureau line on 0845 3300 247 and appealed for anyone with information about Bird's movements over the last 24 hours to contact them.
People who are worried about friends and family can call a police helpline on 0800 0960 095.
West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven has declared a major incident, while North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust has urged patients not to attend its casualty departments unless it was an "absolute emergency".
Helen Owens, who works at solicitors' practice Brockbank, Cain and Hall on Duke Street, told how one of her colleagues saw the victim on the street.
"We heard a couple of gunshots and the police running about," she said. "One of our secretaries was out at the time and she saw a guy lying dead on the ground covered with a sheet - she saw his trainers sticking out.
"There's police tape across it so we can't see exactly what happened but saw a policeman running across the street."
Witness Alan Hannah has told how he fled Whitehaven after he saw the gunman leaning out of a car window.
"I was waiting at a red light and looked around the corner," he said. "I saw a man with a shotgun at the window which had been shattered.
"It looked like quite a big shotgun. I just went through the red light and got the hell out of Whitehaven."
Members of the public in the area had been asked to stay indoors until further notice while every armed police patrol in Cumbria hunted the gunman.
The Sellafield power station went into lockdown, as did many shops.
One of Bird's neighbours, who did not want to give his name, said: "I am totally shocked, numbed by it all, he's a nice guy.
"He's a quiet sort of fella. He kept himself to himself and lived alone."
Home Secretary Theresa May said the events in Cumbria were "very serious and tragic".
She said: "It's a terrible incident that has taken place in Cumbria today but I would like to pay tribute to the way in which the police and emergency services have worked very closely together to deal with this incident."
Ms May added: "I want the people of Cumbria to know that they have my support and are in my thoughts."
The 52 year old then drove his cab through the countryside, opening fire on other people, apparently at random.
Following a manhunt, police found his body 20 miles away in woods near the hamlet of Boot about three-and-a-half hours after the first shootings.
Officers said they had recovered two weapons, adding Bird was believed to have taken his own life.
They also said there were 30 separate crime scenes in the investigation.
After the Whitehaven attacks, Bird, a divorced father of two, drove south along the coast.
Police said he made his way through Egremont, Gosforth and Seascale before turning inland and ending up in Boot.
Two people are thought to have been killed in Egremont.
A woman in her 60s is believed to have been shot dead outside the home of resident Billy Boakes.
Another man is understood to have been killed on the old bridge in the town. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a victim lying in a pool of blood.
One man was reportedly shot dead in Gosforth. He was reportedly in a field trimming hedges with his uncle when Bird drove past, wound down the car window and blasted him.
The dead man has been named locally as Gary Purdham, son of farmer John Purdham and the brother of Harlequins rugby player Rob Purdham, according to Sky sources.
Two people, one an elderly woman, were killed in Seascale, where local GPs were called to the scene, sources say.
Bird, from Rowrah near Frizington, was said to be friends with a fellow taxi driver he killed in Duke Street, Whitehaven, as he started his rampage at about 10.30am.
Glenda Pears, boss of L&G Taxis, said: "The lad that's been killed was friends with him. They used to stand together having a craic on the rank.
"He was friends with everybody and used to stand and joke on Duke Street."
A female taxi driver working for her had to swerve to avoid Bird's car immediately after the first shooting, she added.
She went on: "He was driving and she saw the gun. She was hysterical and had to pull over and stop. The gun was hanging out of the window. She's still shaken up.
"We are just numb at the moment. We just want to know what he's done it for."
Another Whitehaven cab driver, who did not want to be named, claimed an argument broke out between Bird and the other three men on Tuesday night at the Duke Street taxi rank.
He said: "All of the taxi drivers were friends. But I heard last night there was an argument on the taxi rank.
"I don't know what caused it, but something must have happened last night. Derrick Bird took off in his car and went home. I don't know what time of night it was."
Speaking about the shootings, Detective Constable Stuart Hyde said: "This has shocked the people of Cumbria and around the country to the core.
He went on: "Our condolences go out to families and friends of those affected by the horrific incidents that unfolded today.
"These are local people and local police who knew the people killed and injured today.
"It's been a truly exceptional and challenging incident that Cumbria Police has had to deal with today."
He added: "This has shocked the people of Cumbria and the country to the core.
"We will look into Mr Bird's history, his access to firearms and his motivation for the shootings."
Police have set up a casualty bureau line on 0845 3300 247 and appealed for anyone with information about Bird's movements over the last 24 hours to contact them.
People who are worried about friends and family can call a police helpline on 0800 0960 095.
West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven has declared a major incident, while North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust has urged patients not to attend its casualty departments unless it was an "absolute emergency".
Helen Owens, who works at solicitors' practice Brockbank, Cain and Hall on Duke Street, told how one of her colleagues saw the victim on the street.
"We heard a couple of gunshots and the police running about," she said. "One of our secretaries was out at the time and she saw a guy lying dead on the ground covered with a sheet - she saw his trainers sticking out.
"There's police tape across it so we can't see exactly what happened but saw a policeman running across the street."
Witness Alan Hannah has told how he fled Whitehaven after he saw the gunman leaning out of a car window.
"I was waiting at a red light and looked around the corner," he said. "I saw a man with a shotgun at the window which had been shattered.
"It looked like quite a big shotgun. I just went through the red light and got the hell out of Whitehaven."
Members of the public in the area had been asked to stay indoors until further notice while every armed police patrol in Cumbria hunted the gunman.
The Sellafield power station went into lockdown, as did many shops.
One of Bird's neighbours, who did not want to give his name, said: "I am totally shocked, numbed by it all, he's a nice guy.
"He's a quiet sort of fella. He kept himself to himself and lived alone."
Home Secretary Theresa May said the events in Cumbria were "very serious and tragic".
She said: "It's a terrible incident that has taken place in Cumbria today but I would like to pay tribute to the way in which the police and emergency services have worked very closely together to deal with this incident."
Ms May added: "I want the people of Cumbria to know that they have my support and are in my thoughts."