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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Adam Aspinall & Katie Weston

Chilling video shows Plymouth gunman stalking streets in rampage that left five dead

This is the chilling moment a gunman stalked the streets of Plymouth in an 12-minute killing rampage that left five people dead.

In footage shown to an inquest jury, 22-year-old Jake Davison is seen wielding his firearm near his home as he indiscriminately shot dead innocent bystanders, including a toddler pushing her teddy in a pram.

Sections of the video, from CCTV, bodycam footage and audio from 999 calls, were shown to the jury - portraying, for the first time, the full horror Davison unleashed.

In the clips, Davison is seen leaving his home in Plymouth, Devon, with the weapon as he begins his murderous rampage.

He is filmed walking towards police and paramedics treating his final victim Kate Shepherd, 66, before pointing the shotgun to his chin and shooting himself.

Dramatic police bodycam footage showed Davison calmly walk around the corner with the Weatherby pump action shotgun pressed to his chin and his finger on the trigger.

A police officer shouts at him but it's too late and he pulls the trigger.

The officer can then be heard reporting on his radio: “A male has just shot himself in the head on Henderson Place.”

The grim scene marked the end of Davison's rampage on August 12, 2021, which shocked Britain and left five people dead.

The gunman's mum Maxine, who was the first victim in Davison's eight-minute killing rampage (Facebook)
Stephen Washington, 59, who died on the evening of August 12, 2021 (PA)

The inquest heard how Davison, an apprentice crane operator, first killed his mother Maxine, 51 at their home in Biddick Drive, after a row and then shot dead four others in his killing spree.

A haunting 999 call from Maxine's sister Marlene Hill was played to the jury after Davison's mum raised the alarm.

Marlene tells the operator: "Just had a call from my sister, her son has mental health issues.

"He's locked her in the bedroom, grabbed her by the throat, not letting her out."

Artist Katherine Shepherd, 66, was shot and later died at Derriford Hospital (BBC)

The inquest was told a neighbour then heard two loud bangs.

Police later found Maxine dead with two shotgun wounds from close range.

Footage from a neighbour's house then shows Davison leave with his shotgun in hand.

Tragically family man Lee Martyn, 43 and his little girl Sophie, three, were walking through Biddick Drive with their pet dog Mable just as Davison left his house.

Davison shot Lee three times from 20m and poor Sophie once from 1m before turning his weapon on residents Michelle Parker and Ben Parsonage who had opened their door to see what was happening.

They were both injured but survived.

Calls to 999 played to the jury and witness statements then reveal Davison left Biddick Drive and walked towards Linear park.

Here he ran into a full-time carer for his wife, 59-year-old Stephen Washington, who was out walking his two dogs and shot him twice, first from 10m to 16m and then once from a metre.

Investigator David Miller, case officer with major crimes team, ran through the CCTV today (Devon and Cornwall Police)

At this point a bystander, who had been warned of the shootings by his wife on the phone, sees Davison in the park but manages to flee.

The gunman then walked through Linear Park onto Royal Navy Avenue heading towards Henderson Place.

CCTV at this point shows him walk across the road with his shotgun held casually in one hand.

Davison seen walking while holding a shotgun during the attack (Devon and Cornwall Police)

This was shortly before he ran into artist Katie Shepherd who was walking back from shopping at Lidl.

He shot her once in the abdomen from three metres away outside Lush hairdressers. She later died at Derriford Hospital.

Further footage then shows him wander onto nearby Bedford Street, where he threatened two people near some garages, before returning to Henderson place just as police and paramedics had begun trying to save Mrs Shepherd.

Davison shot five people dead in Plymouth on August 12, 2021 (PA)

Davison then turns the gun on himself.

The inquest for the victims began at Exeter Racecourse yesterday and the coroner said it would concerns from the families at why Davison was ever allowed to legally own a firearm under a sporting licence.

The gun was even confiscated by cops following an accusation of assault made against him - but given back to Davison shortly before the tragedy.

Police forensic officers at the scene in the Keyham area of Plymouth (PA)

Earlier in the inquest statements were read on behalf of the families of all the victims.

Josh Davison, the son of Maxine and brother of Jake, said: "Our involvement in this inquest is to help prevent this happening in future - an event like this cannot and should not happen again.

"If we had one wish it would be we could turn back time and allow everyone who had a part in the events leading up to this tragedy an opportunity to make changes to prevent it happening at all."

Floral tributes laid near the scene on August 13, 2021 (Getty Images)

Further harrowing details about Rebecca Martyn, the wife of Lee and mother of Sophie, revealed the tot had been walking a teddy in her pram at the time she was shot.

They had been walking the family British bulldog Mabel at the time.

The inquest, at Exeter Racecourse, continues.

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