Armed police shot a man in the arm in Whitefield after he drove directly at officers during a dramatic getaway attempt, with drugs and a firearm later recovered by detectives.
Incident Details
Greater Manchester Police said officers attempted to stop a car on Bury New Road at around 3pm on Friday, but the driver failed to stop and drove directly at officers in an attempt to escape. A firearms officer then discharged their weapon, striking the 20-year-old man in the arm.
The man was taken to hospital with injuries described as neither life-threatening nor life-changing. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) later stated he had suffered a suspected broken elbow.
Recovery of Drugs and Firearm
Detectives later recovered drugs and a gun, and the man was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. In an update, GMP said officers searched an address in Radcliffe overnight and found a firearm and a significant quantity of both Class A and Class B drugs. No further arrests have been made.
Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, from GMP's Serious Crime Division, said: "Our officers were met with an extremely dangerous situation on Bury New Road yesterday. Thankfully no members of the wider public, or officers were harmed in the incident."
"Despite this, our team has acted swiftly and professionally, and our investigation has progressed at pace. Overnight searches have led to the recovery of a firearm and a significant quantity of Class A and B drugs. This is a substantial find and it in turn prevents a potentially dangerous weapon and a significant amount of drugs from reaching our streets."
"Our investigation will progress, and we will continue to target those involved in serious and organised crime to keep our communities safe for all those who live and work across the whole of Greater Manchester."
IOPC Investigation
In a statement issued this morning, the IOPC said: "We are independently investigating following a non-fatal police shooting in Bury. We were made aware by Greater Manchester Police, who advised that a man was shot in the arm after a vehicle failed to stop for officers. He was taken to hospital with a suspected broken elbow."
"While firearms incidents like this are, thankfully, rare, it is important for there to be independent scrutiny to fully understand what has happened. IOPC investigators attended the scene and to the police post-incident procedures to begin gathering evidence."
Forensic officers attended the scene in Whitefield, and the investigation is ongoing.
