Plymouth shooting: Gunman died by suicide, inquest finds

Jake Davison killed five people before taking his own life in the Keyham area of Plymouth

A gunman who shot and killed five people in Plymouth before turning the weapon on himself died by suicide, an inquest jury has concluded.

Jake Davison, 22, killed his mother Maxine, 51, after arguing with her in their home in Keyham in August 2021.

The apprentice crane operator then shot seven other people who were not known to him, killing five and injuring two.

On Monday, a separate inquest found there had been a "catastrophic failure" at Devon and Cornwall Police.

Three-year-old Sophie Martyn and her father, Lee, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and 66-year-old Kate Shepherd were all shot between 18:05 BST and 18:13 on 12 August 2021.

Jurors at the inquest held at Exeter Racecourse heard the cause of Davison's death was a shotgun wound to the head.

Police investigator David Miller told the inquest into Davison's death the gunman shot himself at 18:23.

Jake Davison took his own life after killing five people in Plymouth

Counsel to the inquest, Bridget Dolan KC, read parts of the evidence of PC Zach Printer, which he gave in person during the inquests into the deaths of the victims.

The jury heard how PC Printer arrived at the scene and tried to help Mrs Shepherd who was the last of Davison's victims to be shot.

"There was a sudden shout, shouts and screams 'he's back, he's back, he's got a gun, he's got a gun'," he said.

PC Printer, who retired in February 2022, said he felt he had to protect the public, his colleagues and Davison.

PC Zachary Printer said he had to confront Davison to protect the public

PC Printer, a former Royal Marine regimental sergeant major and ex-police armed response officer, said Davison was "obviously going through a massive trauma because of what had happened that day".

He said "If I could have got closer, I might have been able to negotiate and talk him down."

The officer said he got to within "20m or so" of Davison before the gunman pulled the trigger.

Explaining his actions, PC Printer added: "I had to become the focus of attention in his eyes so he wasn't looking at anyone else but me."

Plymouth coroner Ian Arrow directed the jury to find Davison had died by suicide.

He said: "On the evidence we've heard I believe that's the only conclusion I can direct you to find."

'Institutional indolence'

The coroner was urged to take action to help prevent "future atrocities" like the Plymouth shootings.

Nick Stanage, the barrister representing Davison's older brother and sister, Josh and Zoe, said his clients hoped the findings from both inquests would "reinforce" the coroner's "resolve to make an effective preventing future deaths report".

Mr Stanage said: "The protection of the public requires action now in contrast to the decades of institutional indolence, insouciance and incompetence locally and at the highest levels of government and policing.

"The bereaved in today's inquest, and the public, deserve better than more paper promises."