Thetford man shot dead by police had been carrying air gun

A man shot and killed by police in Norfolk was carrying an air gun, an observer said.

Tony Keeble was shot in the chest and abdomen near Thetford ring road on December 28 by armed police officers who believed he was carrying a gun.

The shooting is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which said the gun found on the roadside was a “gas-operated air gun”.

The 61-year-old man, who lived in the town, received first aid but was pronounced dead at the scene at around 22:15 GMT.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said most air guns do not require a licence, but anyone sentenced to three years or more in prison cannot use them.

Norfolk Police were first called to a crash between a Honda Jazz and a Mercedes van at the gate of Thetford cemetery on London Road at around 20:25 GMT.

It was learned that the Honda driver was slightly injured but refused to receive treatment at the hospital.

Officers received numerous reports from members of the public that a man carrying a handgun had left the scene and was seen on London Road.

Keeble was found by armed police about a mile away, off the A11 near Sainsbury’s.

He was twice ordered to drop his weapon. A short time later, two police officers fired one shot each at him.

Police body camera footage and dashcam footage were reviewed by IOPC investigators.

The first statements were given by the police officers, further statements are expected to be taken.

The IOPC said all officers were now being treated as witnesses as there was “no indication” so far that the policing profession’s standards of professional conduct had been breached.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “We understand that any incident of this nature is likely to cause public concern, particularly in the local Norfolk community, with questions surrounding the circumstances surrounding it.

“It is therefore important that we conduct a robust and thorough independent investigation.

“Our investigation is still in its early stages and we are still collecting and reviewing evidence as we work to establish the full circumstances.”