Cumbria shooting: as it happened
A gunman named by police as Derrick Bird has gone on a shooting spree in the Lake District, killing 12 people before turning his gun on himself.
By Nick Collins
Published: 8:25PM BST 02 Jun 2010
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Derrick Bird is thought to have killed 12 people Police stand next to a body covered by a blanket following the shooting on Duke Street, Whitehaven Photo: PA
A police cordon in the town of Whitehaven Photo: CATERS
A taxi driver from Whitehaven, who does not want to be named, says one of the dead is Darren Rewcastle of Whitehaven (pictured) Photo: North News & Pictures
Duke Street in Whitehaven Photo: Google
20:50 The Queen released a statement saying: "I was deeply shocked by the appalling news from Cumbria. "In asking you to pass my deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to the families of all those who were killed or injured, and to the injured themselves, I am sure I share in the grief and horror of the whole country."
20:25 One woman told of the moment she was shot at by Bird from his car in Whitehaven.
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Killer shot victims at point blank range Ashley Gastor told ITV News she felt the gunshot brush past her hair and miss her, before running to her sister's for safety.
She said: "I thought he was just going to ask me for directions or something. He said something to me and I didn't hear him so I said 'What did you say?' and I turned around and he said 'Do you like...' and I couldn't hear what else he said and when I turned round to look at him he was holding a gun at me out of the car window.
"I held my ears and ducked down to protect myself and the gunshot was fired. I tried to run down the hill and he fired another one, and when I'd run down the corner he went off in the car."
She added: "I felt it go past my ponytail on the back of my hair when I bent down. I was terrified but I was happy at the same time that he'd missed me.
20:22 A retired father of two was also among the victims of the gunman in Seascale, his family confirmed tonight.
Michael Pike, 64, was killed while cycling in the village where he lived with his wife, Sheena, and son, Jason, 39.
Jason Pike said: "We understand that he was shot dead while out cycling which he did most mornings to keep fit.
"He was a much-loved husband, father and grandfather. He was a happy man at the time he died and satisfied with the things he achieved."
19:40 European countries offered their sympathies to Britain. The President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso sent a message to Prime Minister David Cameron in which he said, "On behalf of the European Commission, I would like to offer our sincerest condolences to you and the people of the United Kingdom. Please extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims, and those injured, in this appalling incident."
19:36 West Cumbria University Hospitals Trust deputy chief executive Kevin Clarkson, said that there were three casualties in a critical condition and five in a serious condition
19.15 Clare Brown told Sky News she was at a hair salon in Whitehaven when the gunman shot at a man outside.
She said: "As soon as we heard the gun go off we all looked out of the window and saw the car pull away, there was a guy standing with blood on his face.
"A couple of inches to the right and he could have had his face blown off. We tried to see if he was ok because we could see that he had blood all over his face but police came down the street telling us to stay inside."
18.38 The cyclist shot dead in Seascale has been named locally as Michael Pike. According to reports, a female relative confirmed that Mr Pike had been killed but did not want to comment.
18.19 Bird had previously been assaulted by a customer who refused to pay his taxi fare, leaving him "nervous and anxious", according to reports.
He was knocked unconscious and left with two broken teeth when he challenged Daniel John Carr after he and three friends jumped out of his cab without paying.
Carr, then 19 and of Crossfield Road, Cleator Moor, admitted causing actual bodily harm in October 2007.
18.08 Another of the dead has been named locally as Jane Robinson, 64, of Seascale, Cumbria.
According to eyewitnesses, she was beckoned to the car by Bird, before she was shot dead.
William Hogg, 51, who has known Jane Robinson and her sister Barrie all his life said: "She was just a very nice lady.