Page 21 - topcoverissue19

SPRING 2024 TOP COVER 21

Other units took up the pursuit as the gunman abandoned
his car and hi-jacked a series of vehicles, crashing several of
them. The last car he hi-jacked, he got into the passenger
seat and asked the driver to drive as fast as he could. He
used this opportunity to fire the assault rifle from the
passenger window, hitting other local police vehicles that
were responding to the incident.
After shooting at and striking another TDT traffic
car, the gunman made his way home to a ground floor
maisonette address in Shaftesbury Avenue, Feltham. During
the ensuing siege more shots were fired from inside; it
was brought to an end a few hours later when a specialist
firearms team made an explosive entry and made the arrest.
“ During the incident he fired over

80 rounds; no one – police or

public – was hit, and the trial
judge said it was a miracle

nobody was killed.
Many weapons were recovered including assault rifles,
grenades, and handguns, along with hundreds of rounds
of ammunition. The gunman was not part of a terrorist
Our tactical options were limited, as armed support was cell or organised crime group; he was simply a gun nut
some distance away. The suspect once more stopped his car, with a morbid fascination for firearms, most of which were
this time at an angle across the road with the driver’s side purchased on his many visits to Florida. They were smuggled
slightly facing us. I decided I would ram the side of his car in to the UK amongst golf equipment!
as hard as I could. Steve shouted to stay back, and that he George Knights pleaded not guilty on all charges at
was probably reloading. the Old Bailey in January 2000; after a four-week trial he
We were approximately 30m away and stationary. I was was convicted on all except attempted murder, and was
trying to calculate how long it would take me to cover 30m sentenced to nine life terms with a recommendation he
from a standing start. Then he got out of his car; this was my serve at least 20 years. I found out last year that he is still
opportunity to accelerate hard and hit him. serving time. During the incident he fired over 80 rounds,
To my horror, he was holding an AR15 Assault Rifle with most at police vehicles, several finding their target. No one
a grenade launcher attached to its underside. He raised the – police or public – were hit, and the trial judge said it was a
weapon and I ducked into the foot well of the car as he miracle nobody was killed.
opened fire. A single burst of three rounds on automatic I often think of the ‘what ifs’… What if we had left the
struck the car. I had not registered that Steve had left the car base a minute later or earlier? What if his tax disc was in
and gone for solid cover. date? The list goes on. We just happened by this man who
I remember expecting the gunman to walk up to my was heavily armed with weapons that were on his hip and on
window and fire. Even now, I remember my thoughts were the passenger seat of his car. He was prepared to use them
clear; I just prayed that it would be quick. After a few in an attempt to make good his escape. I sometimes imagine
seconds I looked up over the dashboard and saw him getting if he had been involved in a road rage incident he may have
back into his car and heading off; I continued pursuit, soon decided to settle it with an AR15!
realising that he had shot out both of my front tyres! In November 2001 I attended New Scotland Yard in
I was screaming into the R/T while trying to control the company of other officers involved that day, including
the car without front tyres. After a few hundred metres the SFO Team. We were Commended by the then
I stopped against the nearside kerb, seeing the suspect Commissioner Sir John Stevens, with the citation read out
heading off toward Hampton. I got out of the car and was by Assistant Commissioner Dave Veness. A few officers
joined by Steve; there was bullet damage to the front of our whose vehicles were struck by rounds, including myself and
car, both from the 9mm and the 5.56mm Nato rounds from Steve, were awarded High Commendations, while others
the AR15. were awarded Commissioner’s Commendations.

WWW.PFOA.CO.UK