Police seek motive in UK cabbie shootings
Source: Agencies |
June 4, 2010, Friday
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BRITISH detectives were seeking a motive yesterday behind a taxi driver's murderous rampage across a tranquil part of rural England, which left 12 people dead and 11 wounded before the gunman committed suicide.
More than 100 detectives were scrutinizing why Derrick Bird, 52, went on a three-hour shooting spree on Wednesday in the northwestern county of Cumbria, blasting many of his victims in the face with a shotgun or a rifle.
Some reports said Bird had argued with fellow cab drivers the night before the killings; others suggested a family dispute. But Cumbria police did not disclose a motive and urged patience, saying the investigation is "a difficult and slow process."
The killing spree was Britain's deadliest mass shooting since 1996, and it jolted a country where handguns are banned and multiple shootings rare.
Eight of the wounded remained hospitalized yesterday, with four listed in stable condition and the other four in good condition.
Charles Brett, clinical director of emergency care at West Cumberland Hospital, said five of the wounded being treated there had been shot in the face. "There's a predominance of facial injuries in what we've seen," he said. "More than 50 percent of those who survived had some form of facial injury."
Police identified one of the dead as Kevin Commons, a lawyer who did work for Bird's family. The BBC and other media reported that Bird's twin brother, David, was among the fatalities.
The first shootings were reported on Wednesday morning in the coastal town of Whitehaven, about 560 kilometers northwest of London. Police warned residents to stay indoors as they tracked the gunman's progress across the county.
Witnesses described seeing the gunman driving around shooting from his car window. Police said there were 30 separate crime scenes.
Bird's body was found in woods near Boot, a hamlet popular with hikers and vacationers in England's hilly, scenic Lake District. Police said a shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a telescopic sight were recovered from the scene. Officials confirmed Bird held licenses for both weapons.
In Whitehaven, groups of residents gathered at the local market to remember those who died - and recount tales of near-misses.
Michael Murray, who is also a taxi driver, was standing near the front of cab stand when Bird, known affectionately as "Birdie," first approached.
No gun review
"I saw Birdie pull up beside me and he was waving a shotgun out of the window," Murray said. "I ducked to the floor before I could see if he was pointing at me.
"I always got on with Birdie, he had no grudges against me, I suppose that's what saved me. He was a sound guy and a private guy."
June Lamb, a housewife, said she knew Bird "very well."
"Derrick didn't mix with people very much," she said. "He was very quiet, but not a loner as such. He would lark about with people."
Prime Minister David Cameron, who plans to visit the area today, ruled out any quick review of Britain's stringent gun laws as a result of the killings.
More than 100 detectives were scrutinizing why Derrick Bird, 52, went on a three-hour shooting spree on Wednesday in the northwestern county of Cumbria, blasting many of his victims in the face with a shotgun or a rifle.
Some reports said Bird had argued with fellow cab drivers the night before the killings; others suggested a family dispute. But Cumbria police did not disclose a motive and urged patience, saying the investigation is "a difficult and slow process."
The killing spree was Britain's deadliest mass shooting since 1996, and it jolted a country where handguns are banned and multiple shootings rare.
Eight of the wounded remained hospitalized yesterday, with four listed in stable condition and the other four in good condition.
Charles Brett, clinical director of emergency care at West Cumberland Hospital, said five of the wounded being treated there had been shot in the face. "There's a predominance of facial injuries in what we've seen," he said. "More than 50 percent of those who survived had some form of facial injury."
Police identified one of the dead as Kevin Commons, a lawyer who did work for Bird's family. The BBC and other media reported that Bird's twin brother, David, was among the fatalities.
The first shootings were reported on Wednesday morning in the coastal town of Whitehaven, about 560 kilometers northwest of London. Police warned residents to stay indoors as they tracked the gunman's progress across the county.
Witnesses described seeing the gunman driving around shooting from his car window. Police said there were 30 separate crime scenes.
Bird's body was found in woods near Boot, a hamlet popular with hikers and vacationers in England's hilly, scenic Lake District. Police said a shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle fitted with a telescopic sight were recovered from the scene. Officials confirmed Bird held licenses for both weapons.
In Whitehaven, groups of residents gathered at the local market to remember those who died - and recount tales of near-misses.
Michael Murray, who is also a taxi driver, was standing near the front of cab stand when Bird, known affectionately as "Birdie," first approached.
No gun review
"I saw Birdie pull up beside me and he was waving a shotgun out of the window," Murray said. "I ducked to the floor before I could see if he was pointing at me.
"I always got on with Birdie, he had no grudges against me, I suppose that's what saved me. He was a sound guy and a private guy."
June Lamb, a housewife, said she knew Bird "very well."
"Derrick didn't mix with people very much," she said. "He was very quiet, but not a loner as such. He would lark about with people."
Prime Minister David Cameron, who plans to visit the area today, ruled out any quick review of Britain's stringent gun laws as a result of the killings.
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