Inquest Into GMP Shooting

An inquest will open today into the death of a Bolton man shot dead by Greater Manchester police in a Cheshire village car park.

Anthony Grainger, from Bolton, died of a single gunshot wound to the chest after the car he was in was stopped in the village of Culcheth, Cheshire, on Saturday evening in what police described as a "pre-planned operation''.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) Specialist Operations branch performed first aid after the shooting in Jackson Avenue, but the 35-year-old died.

An inquest into Mr Grainger's death will be formally opened this afternoon at Warrington Coroners Court.

The operation was understood to be part of a GMP-led investigation into a planned robbery in the area.

It came just weeks after an attempted robbery at a Co-op store in nearby Common Lane on February 18th in which a machete was used.
David Totton, 33, of Rochdale Road, Manchester; Joseph Travers, 27, of no fixed address; and Robert Rimmer, 26, of Ainsbrook Avenue, New Moston, Manchester, were last night charged with conspiracy to commit robbery between January 24, 2012 and March 3, 2012, GMP said.

All three will appear before Manchester Magistrates Court today.

The fatal shooting is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

An IPCC spokesman said: "The independent investigation will consider the actions of all the officers at the scene, as well as the planning, decision making and implementation of the operation which led to the death.''