Police have shot dead a man locked in a Bedford home after a tense stand-off erupted in gunfire.
Officers confronted a man in his 40s after reports of vehicles being damaged on Aylesbury Road at 10.40pm on Monday.
The man then barricaded himself in a nearby home and began making threats, according to Bedfordshire Police.
Dozens of neigbours were evacuated from the are as armed police arrived in the quiet cul-de-sac.
After nearly 12 hours of negotiations, the officers opened fire claiming the man ‘presented a weapon’ at 9.30am on Tuesday.
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The man was treated at the scene but died an hour later.
Bedfordshire Police said ‘despite sustained efforts over a number of hours to engage with the man and bring the incident to a safe resolution… he presented a weapon before police fired’ shortly after 9.30am.
The force has made a mandatory referral to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which has launched an investigation.
This is a breaking news story… More to follow…