Two unarmed female police officers shot dead in gun and grenade attack (UK)

www.bbc.co.uk...

Two female police officers have died during an operation which led to the arrest of a man wanted by Greater Manchester Police.

Police said both unarmed officers suffered fatal injuries during a "routine operation" in Hattersley, Tameside.

"Whilst they were inside around a dozen shots were fired and there was an explosion."

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Firstly, why send two unarmed coppers to the location of a suspect wanted for two other violent murders?

Secondly, can anyone else see this leading to a call for armed police 24/7?

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The last thing we need is the police to have more guns, they should be limited to certain departments/unit and that department/unit should have been the one sent inside the building.

(Oh and let's NOT have this thread turn into an American vs British gun debate).

More info:

www.bbc.co.uk...

Two unarmed female police officers have died during a police operation in Tameside, Greater Manchester, police say.

Police say both officers suffered fatal injuries during a "routine operation" in Hattersley.

A witness close to the scene at Abbey Gardens reported hearing 13 gunshots and an explosion.
Dale Cregan, 29. has been arrested at a police station in connection with the officers' deaths and two previous murders.

A police conference is expected at about 15:30 BST.

Hmm, so it seems it was a 'routine' operation. Maybe the police didn't know the suspect was inside?

Hmm.

Another article from Sky.....

news.sky.com...

It says it was a routine incident that they were attending.

Thoughts go out to the colleagues and family.

Bomb disposal at the scene.

CX.

This is why I'd like to go back to the Gene Hunt days, as I like to call them.

At least back then the old bill had a fighting chance against criminals. That's my opinion, anyway.

reply to post by mr-lizard


When you outlaw guns only outlaws will have them.

What happened was a terrible tragedy.
However it certainly highlights the old saying don't bring a stick to a gun fight.
You can certainly blame their superiors for gross incompetence leading to the death of two officers.

If they knew they were sending them into a dangerous situation they should of sent them in prepared or not at all.

Not a chance they deliberately sent two women to their deaths for a bit of social programming..........The goverment loves its slaves

reply to post by mr-lizard


In answer to your queries, it seems that:

1) The officers were on a routine patrol when they encountered this guy, who was already wanted on suspicion of murdering a father and son (separate incidents), where a gun and grenade were also used.

2) No, i can't see it leading to calls for more arms for the Police in the UK. Most Police in this country do not want guns.

Basically, this is just one of those tragic cases where the WPC's were in the wrong place at the wrong time with totally the wrong type of person. Interestingly he seems to have simply have given up after he had shot these officers. 2 people was clearly ok with him but when it rises to 4 and 2 of those are Police Officers he just walks into a Police Station and gives himself up! Scary looking fella by the way.

What it comes down to is you can take the guns away from the law abiding citizen, but not the criminals. They have no respect for the law and operate outside of it. The criminals dont care if they arent "allowed" to have guns. They will get them if they want them. That applies to all countries. But a police officers job means they have to interact with criminals. And since criminals dont care about the law, the police should be armed for their own protection.
Dumb move sending un armed police officers to get a violent suspect. Should of sent an armed response unit or at least issued the cops guns for this raid/arrest. Just my opinion.

Originally posted by MartyrCollect
This is why I'd like to go back to the Gene Hunt days, as I like to call them.

At least back then the old bill had a fighting chance against criminals. That's my opinion, anyway.

Yeah, I remember Gene Hunt...Anyways, the time of being politely naive and non-secured front and backdoors are over....and the english police should be aware of that.

Another explosion just went off....the bomb squad and robot are down there, but there seems to be little info of what just happened.

From what i heard on the TV, it didn't sound like a huge explosion, but enough to do enough damage if someone was on the wrong end of it.

Sky just said the police didn't budge much when it went off, so that might point to a controlled explosion. Would have been nice to give everyone a heads up though.

CX.

Flavian is right, these two officers were responding to a normal call, they weren't expecting to be confronted by the armed arsehole the armed police were after.

Sad day, my heart goes out to the family.

As for the Gene Hunt thing, I wish coppers like him did exist (the British Gene), there would be far less crap going on, political correctness, health and safety etc etc is something the Gene Genie would wipe his backside on.

I want to know who this guy is..... I know criminals have guns but explosives too?

This seems a bit over the top to be your average criminal.

reply to post by RiverRunsFree

Cregan, who worked as a roofer and previously lived in Tenerife, is said to have boasted of losing an eye after being hit with a knuckle duster during a fight with police in Thailand.

Doesn't even sound like he is ex-military......home made grenades perhaps?

Armed police then surrounded Cregan and used tear gas to floor him, they then bagged his head and handcuffed him while helicopters and emergency were on standby. One source told MM Dale Cregan was being chased in his BMW by armed police when he threw a grenade out of his car.

A short time after the incident Dale Cregan was arrested as he walked into police station in Hyde.

Sounds like a right nutjob, glad he was caught alive so he can pay for his crime.

reply to post by woogleuk


Have you seen the pictures of him? He looks the sort that smashes glasses into people's faces just "for the fun of it". Definite nutjob.

reply to post by woogleuk


Thanks for that.

So he walked into a police station after all of this?... Odd, your right he does sound like a nutjob.

Police conference ongoing at the moment, they said that this guy was staying at the house overnight, then today somebody phoned the police and reported a burglary at the house.

These two female officers were sent, then the guy went out into the street as they approached and shot them.

So either the gunman phoned the burglary through and this was a set up, or someone else phoned and it just so happened that the burglar was one of the most wanted men in Britain.

CX.

reply to post by RiverRunsFree


From what I can gather, no.

He was chased, lobbed a grenade out of his car, surrounded, given the old truncheon to the back of the head, THEN read his rights when he was escorted into the police station.

I don't think you are classed as arrested until those rights are read to you.

reply to post by Flavian


Yeah, creepy looking fellow isn't he, that one empty eye socket is well weird.

the guy speaking at the confrence now said they belive it was him that called the police to the house and then shot the 2 police women

Originally posted by kamatty
the guy speaking at the confrence now said they belive it was him that called the police to the house and then shot the 2 police women

This sounds like an incident that i helped with in Germany back in the late 80's early 90's, and i can't for the life of me find the story anywhere online which is really weird.....we had just come in from a night out in Sennelager, and were all told to help out with a search party on the ranges. Apparently two guys (brothers i believe) with a deep hatred of police had phoned and reported an traffic accident on the ranges.

An unmarked car was sent out, nothing heard from them for a while, so they sent out a marked car. The first patrol had been shot. Turns out the German police had recorded the initial phone call and played it over the TV news networks, and a prison officer recognized the voice of one of the guys.

They raided thier house and both were caught.

CX.

It's been suggested that the fugitive may have made a false burglary report, luring the two officers to the property before executing them. So this may have been wholly deliberate.