Reed Wischhusen: Officers commended for 'selfless bravery'

Wischhusen was also convicted of weapons charges after he made his own armoury of explosives, firearms and ammunition

Police officers who stopped a man from committing a mass shooting have been commended for their "selfless bravery".

Reed Wischhusen, 32, from Wick St Lawrence, Somerset, was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for planning a "revenge" attack at his former school.

During a search of his home, Wischhusen pointed a gun at officers, who then shot him three times, before giving him life-saving first aid.

The judge said he owed them his life.

Judge Martin Picton awarded Crown Court Commendations to the four officers who attended and the officer in the case.

In a victim impact statement, an armed officer said he thought he had been shot at first.

"In the subsequent moments it made me personally feel that I may be killed, which was a feeling of intense fear. I had never experienced those thoughts before," the statement read.

He added that he struggled to sleep and suffered nightmares and flashbacks.

Wischhusen planned to attack his former school, Priory School in Worle

A third officer described feeling "betrayal" after initially having positive discussions with Wischhusen, adding they still felt "nervous and scared" when attending incidents.

"I joined the job to help and support people. I know that getting hurt is part of it, but I never felt that it would be to this degree," they said.

"I want to feel strong again. When I feel myself welling up because of a memory, I try and keep it hidden when others are around because I don't want to be a victim."

'Strange situation'

Officers discovered a 1,700-word document which listed who Wischhusen planned to kill.

It included teachers at his former school and officers at the headquarters of Avon and Somerset Police.

A fourth officer's statement said it was "a strange situation for him to have been shot, then saving his life".

Judge Picton sitting at Bristol Crown Court sentenced Wischhusen to life in prison, with a minimum term of 12 years.

"It was the very brave actions the police officers took which saved [Wischhusen's] life on 28 November," he told the court.

"The officers dealt with what was a truly traumatic event. They conducted themselves with selfless bravery and the defendant owes them his life."