‘Gunman’ arrested after ‘shots fired at car’ in seaside town
Police have arrested a man in connection with an armed incident in Hastings.
Sussex Police received multiple reports of shots being fired towards a vehicle in Theaklen Drive at around 7pm last night.
Officers were also called with reports of a man in possession of a firearm nearby.
Armed units responded to the scenes of both incidents, assisted by specialist officers from neighbouring forces and the National Police Air Service helicopter.
No injuries were reported and a man has since been arrested and a firearm seized.
The man is being held in police custody.
Chief Inspector Jayantha Mendis-Gunasekera, of Hastings Command, said: ‘Due to the nature of the reports we received, it was imperative that we responded accordingly, and this included calling upon our neighbouring forces for support.
‘Thankfully, no injuries were reported and we can confirm it is not being treated as a terror-related incident.
‘I appreciate this will have been of significant concern to the local community, who can expect to see an increased police presence in the area in the meantime.
‘There were a number of people in the area around that time and I am urging anyone who saw what happened to please come forward. You can report it online or via 101, quoting Operation Beaumont.
‘I would like to commend the officers involved for their swift support, and also extend my thanks to the public for their patience and understanding as our enquiries into this fast-moving investigation continue.’
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