Plymouth mass shooting: Three-year-old girl among five people killed by Jake Davison

ITV News Correspondent Geraint Vincent reports on the shocking shooting spree

A three-year-old girl was among five people killed amid a domestic incident "that spilled out on to the streets" of Plymouth.

Devon and Cornwall Police's Chief Constable, Shaun Sawyer, confirmed the child was killed by 22-year-old Jake Davison, who shot four others before turning the gun on himself on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, he also revealed the first person shot dead was a woman known to Davison. The 51-year-old was murdered at a property in Biddick Drive, Keyham. There is not believed to be a formal relationship between Davison and the other victims.

“We believe we have an incident that is domestically related, that has spilled into the street and seen several people in Plymouth losing their lives in extraordinarily tragic circumstances,” he said.

The chief constable added all the shooting incident took place within "a matter of minutes".

When and where did the shootings happen?

• At around 6pm, Jake Davison murdered a 51-year-old woman known to him at Biddick Drive

• He then left the house and killed a girl, aged three, and her male relative, aged 43

• Two local residents, aged 53 and 33, were then shot and injured. Their injuries are not described as life threatening

• He then moved on to nearby parkland where he shot a 59-year-old man who died at the scene

• A woman was then shot in Henderson Place. The 66-year-old later died of her injuries

• Davison then shot himself

Chief Constable Sawyer also said the “truly shocking event” was not terror-related. He added a firearm – described by witnesses as a pump action shotgun – was recovered from the scene. Additionally, he confirmed Davison was a firearms licence holder.

The chief constable described Davison's action as “an extraordinarily unusual response by a fellow human being". A motive has yet to be identified.

Chief Constable Sawyer said members of the public witnessed the young girl being shot

Davison had been an apprentice at apprentice at Babcock International since August 2020.

Babcock CEO, David Lockwood, said: "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the events that have unfolded overnight in Plymouth and the deaths of six people.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with the friends and families of those involved in this tragedy. We stand with the city at this difficult time.

"As one of the largest employers in Plymouth, we are providing support and help for any of our colleagues who feel affected by this incident."

Davison posted multiple lengthy videos of himself on YouTube under the name 'Professor Waffle'.

In one, he speaks about "love" being for "the young". He says: "I know I'm still somewhat young and I hope I can make up for it but I have a feeling like I missed that boat. You can't ever make up for that".

YouTube has since confirmed an account belonging to Davison has been terminated from the platform, for violating its offline behaviour policy. Facebook also confirmed that accounts belonging to the Plymouth gunman have been removed.

Davison posted multiple lengthy videos of himself on YouTube

The Home Secretary said questions would “inevitably” be asked following the killing.

Speaking to broadcasters, Priti Patel said: “There are a lot of issues, implications, lives have been lost, people have been murdered.

“This is absolutely tragic and devastating, and for the entire community right now this will be deeply shocking, so obviously that’s where the focus is.

“There will be a range of questions that will inevitably be asked and I will be doing the same for the conversations and discussions I’ll be having with the chief constable.”

'There will be a range of questions that will inevitably be asked'

Nearby residents described barricading their doors as events unfolded shortly after 6pm on Thursday.

Nearby residents, Victoria Palider and Tom Savill, were meant to be out on a date together and say they would have walked by the area where the incident took place.

"It feels very heavy and we would say it’s quite traumatic because funnily enough, we were meant to go out for a date on our one day off and we live so close to what’s happened," Ms Palider said.

"We were meant to be walking past that road during the incident where everything was basically happening. "

Mr Savill said they would have been leaving just as the incident occurred.

'It’s quite traumatic': Victoria Palider and Tom Savill talk to ITV News from near to the scene

"But then the helicopters came in and we saw the police helicopter and one air ambulance land," he added.

"It’s when we had two more arrive that’s when we realised that something serious was really happening then."

The couple barricaded their door and "triple-locked it", he added.

Ms Palider said: "We’re very much on edge with it, to be honest.

"We’re quite lucky that we live on the first floor but still it’s just horrible to think that it’s pretty much one road away from where everything’s been happening."

Labour’s Luke Pollard, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, has urged people in the local community to come together for a candlelit vigil at 9pm on Friday in North Down Crescent Park, Keyham, to pay tribute to the victims of Thursday’s mass shooting.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, said questions on how the firearm was obtained will "hopefully" be answered on Friday.

"The police at the moment are...trying to explore what type of gun, whether they had a license to hold one or not," she said.

Further details about the incident will "hopefully" be released on Friday, the regional Police and Crime Commissioner said on Good Morning Britain

Boris Johnson thanked emergency crews in a tweet on Friday.

He wrote: "My thoughts are with the friends and family of those who lost their lives and with all those affected by the tragic incident in Plymouth last night. I thank the emergency services for their response."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: “There’s much we don’t know about the shocking events in Plymouth. However it’s clear tragedy has hit Keyham.

“My thoughts are with the families and neighbours of those caught up in this nightmare. I pay tribute to our emergency services who ran towards events we’d all run from.”