The mother of Plymouth gunman Jake Davison has been named as one of the five victims of the mass shooting.
Maxine Davison, also known as Maxine Chapman, aged 51, was killed by the 22-year-old on Biddick Drive in Keyham on Thursday evening, Devon and Cornwall Police have confirmed.
Jake Davison then shot dead a three-year-old girl, now named as Sophie Martyn, and her 43-year-old father, Lee Martyn.
The gunman shot at two residents – a man aged 33 and a 53-year-old woman – who both suffered significant injuries that are not currently believed to be life-threatening.
Davison went on to enter a nearby park, where he killed Stephen Washington, aged 59, before shooting Kate Shepherd, aged 66, on Henderson Place. Ms Shepherd later died in Derriford Hospital.
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His rampage lasted about six minutes before he turned the gun on himself.
He was reported dead at 6.23pm, just minutes after police were alerted at 6.11pm.
All of those killed lived locally in the Keyham area.
The firearm used by Jake Davison was legally held.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the issue of how the attacker came to legally own a gun should be “properly investigated” as he called the shooting an “absolutely appalling” incident.
Police said Davison had a firearms licence in 2020, there was no motive at present, and the weapon – which witnesses described as a pump-action shotgun – was recovered from the scene.
Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said there were a “considerable” number of phone calls to emergency services and that police arrived at the scene within six minutes.
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Constable Shaun Sawyer said officers arrived at the scene within six minutes
It’s not yet clear whether the suspect knew the rest of the victims, but he said Davison, who lived locally, “knew people on that street”.
“We believe we have an incident that is domestic-related and has spilled out into the street and seen several people within Plymouth losing their lives in an extraordinarily tragic circumstance,” he said.
Speaking to Sky News, Chief Constable Sawyer added: “We’ve never in my time had homicide followed by a rampaging firearms attack on random members of the public and then taking one’s life. That is without precedent in my time as chief constable.”
He described the shootings as “truly shocking” and said they had been witnessed by members of the public, who he urged to seek support.
Police are now collecting evidence across about 13 or more crime scenes, he said.
Davison was named as the suspected gunman earlier today.
In videos shared online just weeks before the massacre, he spoke of being “beaten down” and “defeated by life”.
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Jake Davison is suspected to have killed himself and five others. Pic: Facebook
Davison, who posted on a YouTube channel under the name Professor Waffle, said he did not have “any willpower to do anything anymore” in a recording dated 28 July.
In several clips, he referred to the “incels” – an abbreviation online for “involutory celibacy”, the online subculture that involves men who are unable to find a romantic or sexual partner despite desiring one, often expressing hostility and extreme resentment towards those who are sexually active, particularly women.
Although saying he did not “clarify” himself as an “incel”, Davison talked about “people similar to me have had nothing but themselves”.
The Plymouth man who shot dead five people
YouTube confirmed in a statement that the account on their platform run by Davison has now been terminated as it “violates our offline behaviour policy”.
Chief Constable Sawyer said police are “not considering terrorism or a relationship with any far-right group or any such other group” but will be investigating his computer hard drive.
He also said he couldn’t comment “at this time” whether Davison had mental health issues, but added: “This is an extraordinarily unusual response by a fellow human being.”
On Friday afternoon Chief Constable Sawyer and Alison Hernandez, the region’s police and crime commissioner, visited Biddick Close to speak to officers at the scene.
More than two dozen floral tributes have been left outside a Lidl supermarket close to where the shootings happened. Among them were bouquets from civic leaders.
Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Terri Beer wrote: “My deepest sympathy goes out to the families, friends and loved ones of those from our community who have been lost, injured and touched by this tragic event.”
