Man Shot Dead in Pre-Planned Police Operation in Huddersfield

3 January 2017, 19:03

M62 Huddersfield Police Incident

A 27-year-old man has been shot dead by police during a "pre-planned'' swoop on a car on the M62 in West Yorkshire.

Father-of-two Mohammed Yassar Yaqub died after a police operation on an exit slip road of the motorway at Ainley Top, just north of Huddersfield.

West Yorkshire Police said its operation "related to information received about criminal possession of a firearm'' and was not terror-related.

In a statement issued through a solicitor, Mr Yaqub's family said they "are in shock and are distraught''.

His relatives said they did not want to speak as they gathered at his home in a cul-de-sac in the Crosland Moor area of Huddersfield.

But many family members left the property in Rudding Street when armed police arrived, apparently to search the property.

At least five police vehicles arrived in the surrounding streets, including a dog van, and officers with guns were positioned at the front and back of the house before leaving about 30 minutes later.

Earlier, flowers were taken to the house as a number of relatives arrived, some embracing as they went inside.

At the scene, a silver Audi with bullet holes in its windscreen was surrounded by other vehicles at the bottom of the off-slip of the westbound carriageway of the M62 on Tuesday morning as police and forensic teams continued their investigation.

The IPCC said a post-mortem examination on Mr Yaqub's body is due to take place on Wednesday and its investigators are continuing to seek any relevant CCTV footage.

IPCC Commissioner Derrick Campbell said: "My thoughts are with Mr Yaqub's family and all those affected at this difficult time.

"Though in its early stages, this investigation is making good progress but will be complex.

"We will be working hard to establish exactly what happened and would ask for patience while our investigation continues.''

West Yorkshire Police said its operation, which included stopping another car near Bradford, "related to information received about criminal possession of a firearm'' and was not terror-related.

Five people were arrested across the two vehicle stops - three in Huddersfield and two in Bradford - and remain in custody.

Several of those arrested needed hospital treatment for injuries "not related to firearm discharge'' but no police officers were hurt, a force spokesman said.

Mr Yaqub was from the Crosland Moor area of Huddersfield, where his father is a well-known businessman.

In a statement, Mr Yaqub's Bradford-based lawyers said: ``Mr Yaqub's family are in shock, and are distraught. They would ask the media to respect their privacy at this difficult time.

"The family are fully aware that the incident that led to the death of Mr Yaqub is currently being investigated by the IPCC and they do not wish to make any further comment at this stage.''

His relatives said they did not want to speak as they gathered at his home in a cul-de-sac in the Crosland Moor area.

But many family members left the property in Rudding Street when armed police arrived, apparently to search the property.

At least five police vehicles arrived in the surrounding streets, including a dog van, and officers with guns were positioned at the front and back of the house before leaving about 30 minutes later.

Earlier, flowers were taken to the house as a number of relatives arrived, some embracing as they went inside.

Witnesses reported seeing "five or six'' police cars, a Mercedes E-Class and a Jaguar at the scene of the shooting.

A silver Audi with bullet holes in its windscreen could be seen for most of Tuesday, surrounded by other vehicles at the bottom of the off-slip of the westbound carriageway of the M62 as police and forensic teams continued their investigation.

Lorries arrived to begin the process of removing all the vehicles and reopening the motorway junction at teatime.

Nearby residents said they did not hear any shots but were alerted by a huge police presence at about 6pm on Monday which they first thought indicated a major road accident.

Shahnaz Malik, whose house is the closest to the scene, said she looked over her fence to see a large number of officers around the various vehicles.

"There was like a swarm,'' she said. "There was a lot. It was dark as well.''

She said: "It was surreal. It was like time had stood still, so many police buzzing around.''

Ms Malik said Ainley Top was a tight-knit community and the shooting has shocked people living in the area.

"It's quite frightening. It's a little village and we all sort of know who's who.''

She added: "It's absolutely horrendous.''

In 2010 a Yassar Yaqub from Rudding Street went on trial after it was claimed that he opened fire on a car in Birkby Hall Road in Huddersfield.

But the defendant was acquitted of attempted murder after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence.

People living close to Rudding Street said on Tuesday that Mr Yaqub's house was targeted by gunmen more than a year ago.

In June 2015, police said two people suffered minor injuries when a shotgun was fired in Rudding Street by balaclava-clad gunmen as children played.

Police described this incident as a "targeted attack''.

Nadeem Murtuja, chairman of the human rights and racial justice campaign group JUST Yorkshire, called on West Yorkshire Police to disclose to the IPCC the full chain of events that led to the shooting.

He said: "There is a great deal of disquiet in the community about the death of Mr Yaqub and it is crucial that both his family and the Huddersfield community are kept informed about the conduct of the investigation and the events that led to the fatal shooting.''