Man shot dead by Norfolk Police in Thetford after two-car crash

A man believed to have been carrying a handgun was shot dead by police following a car crash in Thetford, Norfolk Police said.

The force was called to London Road, Thetford, at around 20:35 GMT on Sunday after a man believed to be the driver of one of the vehicles left the scene armed with what was described as a gun.

Armed response officers attended and the suspect was later shot “at point-blank range” by police.

Norfolk Police said that despite the best efforts of emergency services, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The A11 remained closed in both directions following the incident.

Norfolk Police said the incident was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following “standard procedure”.

The force’s Deputy Chief Constable David Buckley said: “We understand this incident will cause concern in the community.

“Our highly trained armed officers attend hundreds of firearms-related calls each year, but incidents where police discharge a firearm are thankfully incredibly rare. “A full and independent investigation is currently underway.

“We are, of course, fully co-operating with the IOPC investigation and will be handing over body-worn images and 999 calls to ensure transparency.

“We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.”