Plymouth shooting news latest: Police to be investigated over returning gun to Davison

Jake Davison had his shotgun and shotgun certificate returned to him last month after they had been confiscated by police.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it will investigate Devon and Cornwall Police over the return of Davison’s shotgun and shotgun certificate, after they were removed from his possession in September 2020 after an allegation of assault.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the issue of how Davison came to legally own a gun in the UK should be “properly investigated”.

A woman has described how she hid under a pool table after seeing Davison on his killing spree.

Peggy Holliday had just finished having a tattoo, and was walking to a shop when she heard screaming.

She told ITV News West Country that she saw an incident “unfold” in front of her but did not register Davison’s face because her brain was in “complete flight mode”.

She said: “I think my brain was in panic. It all just happened so quickly. I was in complete flight mode. People were terrified.

“It was like a living nightmare, like something you see out of the movies. It’s something I will never be able to forget.”

Ms Holliday said she intially thought the gunshots were fireworks.

She added: “I headed up the road following the crowd of people and it was just violence, sheer violence … I ran opposite a pub and the owner came out and he shouted at me ‘get in here, get in here now’.”

Ms Holliday said she “literally clung underneath one of the pool tables for dear life”.

She said: “It literally felt like a living nightmare. It felt like I was being hunted.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the issue of how Davison, 22, came to legally own a gun should be “properly investigated”.

Mr Johnson described the shooting – in which five people died, including Davison’s mother and a three-year-old girl – as an “absolutely appalling” incident. 

Davison, who then shot himself dead, was a licenced owner of a gun.

The firearm believed to have been used by Davison was legally held by him, Devon and Cornwall Police have said. 

A weapon, described by witnesses as a pump-action shotgun, was recovered from the scene.

A firearms certificate is issued by the police to possess, buy or acquire a firearm or shotgun. A certificate is also needed to buy ammunition, according to the government’s website.

A passport photo and two references are needed for a firearm certificate, and a passport photo and one reference is needed to legally possess a shotgun. Each certificate – that last five years – have a fee of up to £90.

An applicant must also prove to the chief officer of police that they are allowed to have a firearms certificate and “pose no danger to public safety or to the peace”.

An arts event in Plymouth has been cancelled in respect of those who were killed in the mass shooting in the city.

The Hatchling – a dragon puppet taller than a double-decker – was planned to emerge from an egg and explore the streets of Plymouth before flying off towards the coast, to celebrate freedom after the coronavirus lockdowns.

In a joint statement, producers Trigger, Plymouth City Council and Arts Council England said: “Following the tragic incident in Keyham on Thursday evening, the thoughts of Plymouth City Council and Trigger are with the people of Plymouth and all those affected by this awful event.

“We have been reflecting today on the best way for us as a partnership to respond to this situation and have decided, with the full support of Arts Council England, that as a mark of respect to the community and families involved, we will not go ahead with the planned performance of The Hatchling this weekend.

“We understand that this will be disappointing for the many performers and community groups that have been involved in creating The Hatchling and those planning to greet her, and are discussing opportunities to bring the performance to the city when it is appropriate.”

Social networks have begun removing Jake Davison’s accounts from their platforms.

The 22-year-old was active across Facebook, Reddit and YouTube, where he uploaded a video a few weeks before his shooting spree on Thursday saying he was “beaten down” and “defeated by life”.

Both his YouTube and Facebook accounts were removed by about lunchtime on Friday, the companies said.

But a Reddit account believed to belong to Davison – with which messages were posted in involuntarily celibate (incel) forums – could still be publicly viewed on Friday evening.

Google, which owns YouTube, told PA Media that it will comply with any police requests made through proper legal processes.

Meanwhile Facebook, which also owns Instagram, confirmed it that it has also removed Davison’s accounts.

Plymouth will be holding a candlelit vigil at 9pm this evening to pay tribute to the victims of Thursday’s mass shooting.

It will take place in North Down Crescent Park in Keyham, close to where Jake Davison shot dead five people – including his mother and a three-year-old girl – before killing himself.

Local Labour MP Luke Pollard urged the local community to join the vigil.

He said in a video on Twitter: “Today’s been another really grim and difficult day… it’s important that the community comes together.

“Keyham is an incredible community, I know that communities, not only in Keyham, but neighbouring in North Prospect, Ford and Stoke and Devonport will want to pay their respects as well… this park is big enough for us all.

“There will be no speeches, it will just be a moment for us to come together as a community for a quiet moment of reflection after a really grim and hideous 24 hours for our community.”

Mr Pollard said those attending should bring a candle, adding if they do not have one “your mobile phone light will do as well”.

Devon & Cornwall Police have confirmed the identities of the five people that were killed in the mass shooting on Thursday.

Maxine Davison, also known as Maxine Chapman, aged 50, was the mother of the offender Jake Davison.

Further victims were Sophie Martyn, aged three, and her father Lee Martyn, aged 40.

Stephen Washington, aged 59, was also killed.

The final victim was Kate Shepherd, aged 66, who was injured at the scene and died later at Derriford Hospital.

All the deceased lived locally in the Keyham area.

Jake Davison was a prolific poster of videos and messages in online groups of incel (involuntarily celibate) men and firearms users.

The 22-year-old was engaged with gun-related videos and accounts through his YouTube channel, named Professor Waffle.

In a video, he says: “I know it’s a movie but I like to think sometimes I’m the Terminator or something. Despite reaching almost total system failure he keeps trying.”

Police confirmed he was a licensed gun holder.

In other videos, Davison is heard complaining about his appearance, how he missed out on love as a teenager, that he struggles to meet women, and refers to “Chads” – an incel term for good-looking men who attract women.

He uses other phrases linked to the incel community, including “the black pill overdose”. The “black-pilled” view is the belief that someone unattractive will always fail in dating and love.

Davison described himself on Reddit as a “KHHV” – used in the incel community to mean “a kissless, handholdless, hugless virgin” – and said “being a virgin lately just makes me not want to do anything”.

He also wrote: “Whenever I use tinder which I properly shouldn’t makes me feel inferior… It seems i never get any matches and from what i have read up most guys don’t either”.

In another post, Davison wrote: “There should be a government funded incel social programme or rehab centre of some type”.

There are “virtually no benefits” to speculating about the shooter’s mental health, an expert has said.

Dr Dean Burnett, an honorary research associate at Cardiff University, urged against “pinning the blame” on any mental health problems.

It is not yet known whether Jake Davison had any mental health problems.

Dr Burnett added: “It’s entirely possible to commit a horrific crime without having anything wrong with your mental health”.

Stephen Lawrie, a psychiatry professor at Edinburgh University, said various studies show that around 10 per cent of all murders each year in the UK are committed by people with diagnosable mental illness.

He said: “Statistically, therefore, the chances are that most murderers (about 90 per cent) are not mentally ill.

“The general public and media may struggle to understand apparently motiveless murders, and may then use words like ‘mad’ or ‘insane’, but the regrettable truth is that Homo sapiens – and especially men – have a great capacity for aggression and violence.”

Flowers have been left near to the scene for the five victims of the shooting.

Flags across the city are flying at half-mast as a mark of respect for the victims.

Plymouth City Council has confirmed that the Smeaton’s Tower will be lit up purple this evening.

Council leader Nick Kelly said: “As a mark of respect for the victims, tonight we will also be lighting Smeaton’s Tower – a beacon of light – on a very dark, dark day for Plymouth.”