WIREDGOV

Investigators from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) are appealing for witnesses to an incident in which a woman in her 50s was shot once in the lower abdomen by a police firearms officer from Merseyside Police.

A Taser was also discharged but we cannot confirm at this time whether it made contact with the woman.

The incident happened at around 2pm on Thursday 9 July in North Hill Street at the junction of Lothian Street.

At this stage we understand that officers were responding to reports of a woman, who was armed with a knife and acting in a threatening manner.

She is in a critical condition in hospital and police continue to search for next of kin.

Merseyside Police made a mandatory referral to the IOPC, as is standard in such cases, and we immediately started our investigation.

Our investigators attended the scene recently (09 July 2020) and the police post incident procedure, where the officers involved provided their initial accounts.

IOPC Regional Director Amanda Rowe recently said:

“This is a tragic incident and my thoughts are with all those affected by the events yesterday. We hope to meet with the woman’s family in due course to explain our role and offer our support.

“Our role when someone is seriously injured as the result of police action, is to establish all of the circumstances surrounding how this incident occurred.

“We have already obtained CCTV footage from the area, the police officer’s body worn video, and have taken initial accounts from the two officers involved in the incident. They are both being treated as witnesses.

“We are continuing to gather evidence and are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and may have witnessed something.”

We would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us and assist with our independent investigation. Witnesses can call us on 0300 30 30 771 or email northhillst@policeconduct.gov.uk