24-year-old man shot by a firearms officer on Tuesday has died, the police watchdog has said.
James
Wilson, from South Shields, died in hospital from his wounds on Friday,
according to a statement issued by the Independent Police Complaints
Commission today.
IPCC Commissioner Carl Gumsley said: 'Our thoughts are with James' friends and family at this very difficult time.'
Armed
police were called to Frenchmans Way, South Shields, South Tyneside, at
around 1am on Tuesday after receiving reports a man was holding a
handgun
The
police watchdog launched an investigation after he was shot by armed
response, having apparently been told by Northumbria Police officers to
'put the gun down'.
Mr Wilson, also known as Cornet, was believed to have been hit once in the chest.
The brother of James Wilson has paid tribute to his sibling following his death, describing him as a 'lovely guy'.
According to his family, Mr Wilson had mental health issues and was in possession of a BB gun when he was shot.
Distraught
Wilson, 28, said: 'I just want to say that he has gone far too young. I
was with him last night when he passed away and our family are barely
holding it together.
'Iwant
people to know that he was a lovely guy. He was funny and bubbly. He
was a funny little lad. We're all really going to miss him.'
The force reported itself to IPCC over the incident, while Mr Wilson was taken to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Investigators
had placed yellow markers on the street indicating where evidence has
been left, and a forensic officer in a white suit was working on the
ground to examine the scene.
A grey Skoda estate car was parked at an angle across the street, close to the shooting scene.
One
neighbour said his girlfriend had heard police shout: 'Put the gun
down', before hearing a bang - which she thought was a firework.
'I
came out and there were police with guns walking up and down in body
armour, like they were securing the area,' the father, who did not want
to give his name, said.
'I thought they were looking for a gunman.
'Police
were working on the man for about 10 minutes, giving him oxygen. Then
they let the ambulance in and after about five minutes they took him to
hospital.'
The witness said locals thought Mr Wilson was shot in the chest.
'He
is a respectful kid, he puts his head down when he walks past you,' he
said, describing the man at the centre of the incident.
'He is a decent enough bloke.' The witness said the man who was shot was not a gangster.
'I was thinking: who is daft enough to wave a gun around here? And the man is not that type of person,' he said.
'If
someone said "Boo" to him, he would run as fast as he could. Maybe he
was full of drink - it will all come out in the end. I hope he is all
right.'
One
woman who lived nearby said she had heard police sirens in the night,
and then realised there had been a shooting when she checked Facebook
upon waking up this morning.
For
someone to be all waving a handgun in the street where people live,'
said the mother, who asked not to be named. 'It's just disgusting.
'It's an absolute disgrace when it's on your doorstep.'
Another mother-of-three told the shield getteze that she heard a loud noise, but also assumed it was a firework.
'I phoned my friend who lives down the street and she was already outside,' she said.
There was a man lying on the floor not moving and then the ambulance came and took him away.'
An
investigator in an orange IPCC jacket was seen carrying items thought
to be evidence away in a large brown paper sack to a van as a police
photographer took photos of the road surface, which had up to eight
yellow markers on the ground.
A
police dog handler with a black spaniel were working in the street,
with the dog being sent into gardens and under parked cars.
Investigators
were also speaking to local residents, and officers appeared to be
paying close attention to a marked police Volvo parked within the
cordon.
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