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Shooting ends British fugitive siege

10 July 2010 04:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. One of the biggest manhunts in British history ended Saturday with the fugitive suspected gunman being rushed to hospital after a tense stand-off with police ended with a shot fired, APA reports quoting AFP.
After searching for Raul Moat in rural terrain for a week, armed police had surrounded their suspect and had been in negotiations for several hours before the siege ended in dramatic circumstances.
They finally closed the net on their suspect in Rothbury, north of Newcastle in northeast England, the country village at the epicentre of the massive manhunt.
Television reports, citing witnesses, earlier said the suspect was holding a gun to his neck.
Moat is accused of shooting dead his ex-girlfriend’s new partner, and seriously injuring her and a policeman in and around Newcastle, northeast England, shortly after being released from prison.
"Police discovered a man fitting the description of Raoul Thomas Moat at around 7:00 pm (1800 GMT Friday) near the riverbank in the vicinity of Rothbury," Northumbria Police Chief Superintendent Mark Dennett said.
"When he was discovered he was armed. Expert negotiators were brought in to speak to him and spoke to him extensively for several hours.
"We can confirm a shot or shots have been fired and it’s believed the suspect has a gunshot wound.
"No officers have been injured.
"Police can also confirm the suspect has been taken to hospital for treatment."
The search for Moat moved fast on Friday.
Detectives arrested two people accused of helping him, found three of his mobile phones and released photographs of camping equipment including a tent and sleeping bag which he and accomplices are thought to have used.
They said they had "recovered valuable information".
Armed police have imposed a lockdown around Rothbury for days and threw an exclusion zone around part of the village on Friday evening, with those stuck inside ordered to stay inside their homes.
The case is dominating domestic television news channels and Britain’s tabloid newspapers.
BBC television showed a grainy, night-vision footage of the moment the stand-off ended, which featured shouting and dogs barking in the pouring rain.
Sky News television screened footage of an ambulance under police escort leaving the scene, heading towards Newcastle.
Saturday’s newspapers were filled with headlines about the siege.
"Got Him", said The Sun and the Daily Express’s front pages, while the Daily Mail said "Cornered".
The search for Moat included officers from 15 forces including specialist snipers, and armoured all-terrain cars from Northern Ireland. A Royal Air Force plane with imaging equipment also joined the search.
Moat, a nightclub bouncer and bodybuilder, is a 37-year-old father of three.
He had been serving an 18-week sentence for assault.
He had declared "war" on police and said in a letter to them he would not stop killing "till I’m dead".