A man has died after being shot up to 10 times by armed police close to a busy motorway, according to eyewitnesses.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed a man died during an “incident involving police firearms” on the A369 The Portbury Hundred road, close to the M5 Gordano services, near Bristol.
An eyewitness described seeing police shoot into a red Suzuki Swift car that had been stopped by officers.
There were at least four bullet holes in the off-side of the hatchback car, and what appeared to be a black handgun on the roof.
David Ellison told BBC Radio Bristol: “As I came out of Portishead to join the motorway, I got stopped. Ahead of me were police in the road.
“I saw them back off from a car and then they surrounded it. They maybe shot with handguns five, six, maybe 10 times.
“Then they dragged a man from the car to resuscitate him.”
Frazer Phillips, from Bristol, wrote on the Hello Portishead Facebook page: “I was right next to it when it happened and heard about 4-5 shots.”
On the same page, Mark De Lancey added: “I got up on the roundabout as the police were smashing the guys windows and dragging him out. God knows what was happening!”
The scene has been cordoned off and officers in white forensic suits had erected a blue and white tent opposite a number of vehicles on the side of the road.
A body, covered by a blanket, lay in the road at the back of the near-side of the small hatchback car.
The body was mainly obscured by the blanket, an ambulance and police vehicles, though a right leg and white trainer could be seen.
The driver’s side front window was smashed, and there was blood and glass on the floor, as well as a sun hat.
The scene on the A369 in Portishead, near Bristol (Claire Hayhurst/PA)
The Avon and Somerset force has referred the shooting to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but confirmed it was not terror-related.
A force spokesman would not comment on whether the operation was pre-planned.
“We can confirm a man died earlier this morning in an incident involving police firearms on The Portbury Hundred (A369) in Portishead,” police said.
“We have referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
“This has been a fast-moving incident and is now under investigation by the IPCC.”
An IPCC spokeswoman said: “We are investigating an incident involving police firearms this morning on the A369 near Portishead in which a man has died.
“IPCC investigators are at the scene gathering evidence and are attending the post-incident procedures.
“Our investigation is in its very early stages.”