Witnesses recall hearing 'six massive bangs' after man armed with knife shot by police

Witnesses have recalled hearing "six massive bangs" after a man armed with a knife was shot by officers outside a police station in Derby.

The man, who has not yet been identified, died in hospital after he was shot by officers in the car park of Ascot Drive police station on Friday 7 October.

'Heard around six gunshots'

Tom Parker, 26, works at Martin & Parker on Ascot Drive, close to the scene of the shooting.

He says he was in the factory when he heard "around six gunshots", before running outside and seeing about six to eight police cars firing past him.

'It’s quite scary to think that if I’d been any later getting there I could’ve witnessed it. I’ve got a three-year-old with me.'

Emma Smalley, 28, had been shopping in B&M for about five minutes when the incident unfolded.

She said the store was evacuated immediately after the shooting, when armed police were seen outside.

The mum had to leave her three-year-old’s pushchair inside and was told that the cordon may be in place for two or three hours.

Ms Smalley said: "We heard about six massive bangs and didn’t know what it was at the time. Everyone got evacuated. I’ve had to leave everything in there.

"I just thought it was banging. I didn’t know whether it was a delivery for B&M or someone in the warehouse. It was noisy.

"It’s quite scary to think that if I’d been any later getting there I could’ve witnessed it. I’ve got a three-year-old with me as well."

'Sounded like beer barrels falling...'

Another person who works in the area said that they heard gunshots and it "sounded like a load of beer barrels falling off a lorry".

Armed officers were called to the scene at around 10am following reports of a knifeman in the car park, Derbyshire Constabulary said.

The man was shot at 10.03am and later died in hospital, police said.

The identity of the man remains unknown.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been informed.