Plymouth shooting: Police first on scene of Keyham tragedy faced 'things you only see in nightmares'

  • PC Zachary Printer speaks to ITV News about running towards gunman Jake Davison

The unarmed police officers who were first at the scene of the Plymouth shootings were faced with "things only seen in nightmares", a senior police officer has said.

Lone gunman Jake Davison shot dead five people in a 12-minute attack in Keyham in August 2021.

He killed his mother, Maxine Davison, following an argument, before shooting dead four others - Lee Martyn, 43, and his three-year-old daughter Sophie Martyn, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66.

He then turned the gun on himself.

Sergeant Richard Poole, who is Conduct and Performance Lead Officer at Devon and Cornwall Police Federation, praised the bravery of the officers who were first at the scene of the tragedy.

He told ITV News what they saw were like scenes from "nightmares" that no other police officers would expect to witness in their career or lifetime.

'He literally put himself in the line of fire'

Sergeant Poole described the actions of PC Zachary Printer, who ran towards an armed Jake Davison and attempted to negotiate with him after he had killed his victims, as "nothing short of remarkable".

"He literally put himself in the line of fire to protect his colleagues and the public," Sgt Poole said.

"He just says he was doing his job, but we know it was far more than that. He made his way to the scene to help."

PC Zachary Printer, who has now retired, was among the first of the emergency services on the scene

'I had to confront him to protect the public'

Giving evidence at the inquest, PC Printer said he spotted Davison holding the gun while he was giving first aid to the final victim, Kate Shepherd.

The constable then ran towards the gunman to try and "talk him down".

Describing his thoughts at the moment he confronted the armed 22-year-old, he said: "I needed to protect the public. I need to protect my colleagues.

"But I also need to protect Jake, who had obviously gone through massive trauma because of what had happened that day.

"If I had got closer, I might have been able to negotiate, talk him down. I got to within 20 metres or so... and he pulled the trigger.

"I sprinted to Jake, but he had suffered catastrophic, non-survivable injuries, and the shotgun was laid at his feet.

"I had no choice. I had to confront him to protect the public. I had to become the focus of attention in his eyes, so he couldn't look at anyone else."

'He's seen things you and I only see in our worst nightmares'

Praising the officer's bravery, Sgt Poole said the constable "put himself in harm's way to protect everyone else".

He added: "Zach is a former Royal Marine. He's been in situations where you can prepare yourself for this, but when you start a routine shift in Plymouth, a safe city, you don't expect anything like this to happen.

"But Zach has now seen things that the likes of you and me see only in our worst nightmares, he's dealt with these things.

Keyham victims Lee and Sophie Martyn (top right), Kate Shepherd (top left), Maxine Davison (bottom right) and Stephen Washington

"It's not just Zach, it's the other officers that were present, the other officers that responded and gave first aid to Mr Washington, that tried to help Sophie and Lee.

"The images they've seen, none of us would see in a career let alone a lifetime, that will sit with them for a long time."

PC Printer will be given a commendation for his actions after his bravery was praised by the senior coroner of the inquest.

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