Derrick Bird aimed gun at unarmed police who watched him shoot at cabbies

12 April 2012

Dramatic details emerged today of how three unarmed police officers tried to chase Derrick Bird in his taxi as he went on a shooting rampage.

Seconds after Bird opened fire in Whitehaven to kill cab driver Darren Rewcastle, his third victim, a neighbourhood beat officer who heard gunshots ran to the scene to investigate.

He saw Bird's taxi drive past with a shotgun pointing out of the passenger window and called his control room.

The officer commandeered the nearest car, driven by a local man, and ordered him to follow Bird's taxi.

Cumbria Police only released details of the chase today in response to claims that officers could have tackled Bird sooner.

In a statement the force described how the lone officer and the motorist followed Bird down three streets before Bird slowed down as he passed a taxi travelling in the opposite direction.

"As the two cars passed each other, the officer saw him shoot the driver of the other taxi. The officer immediately went to the assistance of the injured man by giving immediate first aid, treating serious injuries and ensuring all of their safety by moving him and his female passenger, who had also been shot, out of Bird's line of sight."

The force also revealed that two unarmed officers were in a police transit van that was following the first vehicle.

Cumbria Police said the van overtook to take up a position behind Bird's taxi and continued to follow him to provide sightings to the police control room and the armed response vehicles which were racing to the scene.

The statement continued: "Bird then appeared to pull into a driveway, turned and pointed the gun directly at the unarmed officers. They were forced to protect themselves after it became clear they could not reverse due to the traffic that had built up behind them.

"We believe he then drove off at speed. Despite having just witnessed a shooting and having a gun pointed at them, the officers attempted to follow him and despite asking passers-by where he had driven, were unable to locate him again. They continued to stay in the area where further reports of Bird's location were given."

The force added that the officers' van was not suitable for a high-speed chase.

The statement said: "Whilst they had no opportunity to bring an end to Bird's rampage they provided valuable information regarding his whereabouts and likely route. They also provided immediate assistance to those shot and injured in the area."

Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said: "Our officers are expected to deal with difficult and challenging situations. This incident was unprecedented and exceptional circumstances were fast-moving and highly dangerous. Had any officer or member of staff had the clear opportunity to stop Bird I am confident they would have taken it."

A local priest today said Bird's family should be seen as victims of his crimes and bear no responsibility for his actions.

The Rev John Bannister, the rector of Whitehaven, said: "I think, as a community, we also need to recognise Derrick Bird's family as victims also - their lives have been turned upside down."

He told GMTV: "They bear no responsibility for the actions of Derrick Bird and therefore they are as entitled to, and in fact need, as much support as anyone else who has been affected by this, if not more so."

His comments came as it emerged that family members feared they would also be killed during Bird's rampage through the Cumbria countryside.

The killer's mother Mary, 85, was at her home in Ennerdale with her eldest son Brian, 58, and his wife Susan when she heard on the lunchtime news that he had killed his twin brother David and was shooting people at random.

Fearing they would be targeted too, her daughter-in-law went around the house locking the doors. Bird, 52, killed 12 people in a three-hour rampage which began when he shot his brother in his bedroom in the early hours of last Wednesday.

In a statement read by family friend the Rev Jim Marshall, Bird's sons Graeme, 28, and Jamie, 26, said: "We are utterly devastated about the death of our father Derrick Bird. To us, he was the nicest man you could ever meet.

"We would like to say that we do not know why our dad committed these horrific crimes. We are both mortified by these sad events."

Mr Marshall, the curate of St Michael's Church in Lamplugh, said Bird's family would apologise to relatives of his victims "if they had the strength".

Police are investigating claims the killings were sparked because of a grudge he held against his twin brother David over money left by their late father. The cabbie is also believed to have feared going to jail over unpaid taxes.

Inquests into the deaths of Bird and his victims were opened today in Whitehaven.

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