'Child under 10' among the six dead in Plymouth shooting

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By stefan armitage

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A child under the age of ten has been confirmed as one of the six dead following a shooting spree in Plymouth, England.

As reported by BBC News, at around 6:00PM on Thursday evening (August 12), emergency services were called to Biddick Drive in the Keyham area of Plymouth following reports of a shooting.

Police have since confirmed that six people - including the suspect - have died following the incident.

Two females and two males were reportedly found dead at the scene, with another female later succumbing to her gunshot wounds in hospital.

Another male, believed to be the suspected shooter, was also found dead at the scene.

MP Luke Pollard speaks out on the shooting:

Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport Luke Pollard later tweeted that one of the deceased was "a child under ten years old".

Pollard later tweeted: "People are waking up to the grim news that five people and the shooter have died in the #keyham shooting. Hearing that one of the dead is a small child is utterly heartbreaking. From 9am today Ford Primary School and local churches will be open as a safe space for the community."

Representatives for Devon and Cornwall Police have said in a statement: "Police were called to a serious firearms incident in Biddick Drive, in the Keyham area of Plymouth at around 6.10pm today [Thursday 12 August].

"Officers and ambulance staff attended the scene.

"Following attendance at the scene, two females and two males were deceased at the scene. A further male, believed to be the offender, was also deceased at the scene. All are believed to have died from gunshot wounds.

"Another female treated at the scene for gunshot wounds, died a short time later in hospital.

"All of the next of kin of the deceased have been located and informed by Devon & Cornwall Police officers."

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Police gather on Biddick Drive in the Keyham area of Plymouth. Credit: PA Images/Alamy

The statement continued: "Devon & Cornwall Police would stress this is not a terrorism-related incident.

"The area has been cordoned off and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

"Investigations are continuing into the incident and disruption to the road network in the Keyham will remain throughout the night.

"Police continue to ask any members of the public with mobile phone footage of the immediate aftermath of the incident not to post this on social media platforms and to respect those families who have lost loved ones this evening."

BBC News reports that the death toll means that this is the worst mass shooting to occur in the UK for over a decade.

In an interview with Sky News on Friday morning, Pollard explained that police are still attempting to put together a timeline of the events.

Featured image credit: PA Images/Alamy