Police officer shot dead in street

[Reece]

Armed police were last night hunting a gunman who shot dead an off-duty policeman. Ian Dibell, 41, was blasted in the head at close range when he raced to investigate an incident near his home. Witnesses said shots were being fired wildly by a man chasing two of his neighbours. He hit one of them in the leg and hit Mr Dibell with another round as the officer ran across the road to help. He died at the scene. Essex police have named the gunman as Peter Reeve and have told residents of Clacton-on-Sea to stay indoors. Neighbours said the 64 year old loner and the pair he was pursuing had been locked in a long-running feud over noise and parking. I saw the guy running out chasing two people out of the building into the street, said one resident. A girl and a guy in their 30s ranout and I could see this man firing potshots at them. The woman was screaming and as she ran off he took aim at the guy. He fired about three shots  and one caught the man and he went down. He was shouting help, help to the off duty policeman. Next thing I knew a shot was fired and the policeman was on the floor. I think he was shot in the head but it all happened so quickly. He was off duty and in jeans at the time it was just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Eric Long, 80, said he looked out of his living room window to see Reeve holding a firearm. I heard a bang I had been asleep then heard it. I spent 30 years in the air force so I knew what it was, he added. I saw him standing with some kind of revolver. He was chasing somebody, firing as he went. I then saw the black man running down the street. He looked like he might have fallen over and he had his phone glued to his ear. Something just got too much. He had asked for help before this guy lived below him and they clashed. The way I look at it there was just no way of stopping him it was a build-up of things. Some people get tense and then just eventually explode. He was very pleasant to speak to but he had certain views on how the world should be he has certain standards. Armed police raced to Fairlop Close at about 3.30pm yesterday after a flurry of 999 calls. Mr Dibell, who lived close by in Redbridge Road, was treated in the street by paramedics but died before he could be put into an ambulance. His girlfriend, Louise Lilley, 40, a police support officer in East Clacton, was being comforted by colleagues and a family liaison officer last night. Neighbours said Reeve, who came from Cornwall, reappeared in the street two minutes after the shots were fired and sped off in his car. One resident said he was a nice chap and a very smart man who was known for helping other elderly neighbours. He said: Ive known him for a long time. He probably has the nicest decorated flat in the whole place. Sandra Johnson, 45, said: I heard a lot of commotion around half three. I was in my kitchen with my window open so I could hear a lot of noise. But I just thought it was a row. I just want it to be over. Im a bit scared as I have a 15yearold daughter. Its very quiet here usually and we arent used to this noise so it was a bit of a shock. A police spokesman described Reeve as 5ft 10in with short greyish hair and wearing jeans and possibly glasses. They warned people not to approach him and to dial 999 if they saw him or any suspicious activity. A police helicopter and dog teams joined the search as forensic experts combed Fairlop Close and Redbridge Road for clues and erected a gazebo over where Mr Dibell fell. Speaking last night, Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation, said it was a very sad day indeed. He added: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of our colleague who has been killed in Essex. Every police officer in the country is thinking of our colleagues in Essex who are hunting the gunman. Mark Smith, chairman of the Essex Police Federation, said: This is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with Pc Ian Dibells family, friends and colleagues at this extremely sad time. Constable Ian Dibell was a dedicated professional officer who, even though off duty, has paid the ultimate sacrifice for his bravery and selfless actions in trying to protect his local community. This appalling incident highlights the dangers that police officers face every day. No words can help those closest to Pc Dibell at this terribly distressing time but I hope they will find some comfort in knowing that the loss of this brave man is mourned by the entire police family throughout the United Kingdom. Ashley Jones, 41, owner of nearby tanning and beauty salon Ultra-Violet, said last night: Ive been here for 18 years and its not a bad place but its definitely got worse over the past two years. The shooting took place a few miles from Frinton-on-Sea where police marksman Brian Bishop was killed by an armed robber in August 1984. He died in hospital four months after he was shot while challenging a post office robber.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2171033/Clacton-shooting-Off-duty-PC-shot-dead-man-injured-Clacton-Essex.html#ixzz20AcJMTAY

[McGarrett]

This is tragic. It's horrible to see a police officer off-duty getting killed. It's horrible.

[SafetyMoose]

Thats what happens when you don't give cops guns in a world where guns are so easy to access.

[McGarrett]

Thats what happens when you don't give cops guns in a world where guns are so easy to access.

USA made a huge mistake. Giving out guns so easily. Police officers in USA wear their gun always, which means criminals also will use guns.

[SafetyMoose]

USA made a huge mistake. Giving out guns so easily. Police officers in USA wear their gun always, which means criminals also will use guns.

It is not hard to get a gun no matter what country you are in. Guns save officers lives not the opposite, had this officer had a gun he could have defended himself.

[McGarrett]

It is not hard to get a gun no matter what country you are in. Guns save officers lives not the opposite, had this officer had a gun he could have defended himself.

Ok. Let's look at it.

In 2007 in USA, there were 12,129 homicide with firearm.
In 2007 in Norway, there were around 5-20 homicide with firearm.

Do you see the differences? In USA, officers daily wear handguns in a hostler. In Norway, the police officers are prohibited to do so unless it's a shootout. Of course the amount of citizens has a lot to say, but I doubt that the amount of homicide in Norway would be the same as it was in USA.

[Ness]

Ok. Let's look at it.

In 2007 in USA, there were 12,129 homicide with firearm.
In 2007 in Norway, there were around 5-20 homicide with firearm.

POPULATION OF NORWAY: APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION
POPULATION OF USA: APPROXIMATELY 312 MILLION

[SafetyMoose]

POPULATION OF NORWAY: APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION
POPULATION OF USA: APPROXIMATELY 312 MILLION

I was about to post this 

[Gandalf]

POPULATION OF NORWAY: APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION
POPULATION OF USA: APPROXIMATELY 312 MILLION

312 / 5 = 62.4
62.4 * 20 = 1248
Nuff said.

[Gandalf]

This is tragic. It's horrible to see a police officer off-duty getting killed. It's horrible.

While tragic, it is evident he made a severe error in judgement.
Being off-duty he relied on the killer recognizing him and remembering he was a police officer, then respecting his profession enough not to shoot. That is a lot to ask from someone who is obviously in a fit of rage.
His first action should have been to call colleagues on the scene. Second to distract the person in a safe manner that did not endager his life.

[Ratko Gavrilovic]

had this officer had a gun he could have defended himself.

So you're saying he had time to unholster his gun, make it fire-ready, aim and shoot while the criminal quickly blasted him through the head?

[Dolfagr]

Getting a weapon is a piece of cake in most countries, and sometimes the price can be ridiculous. The question is what the hell is state doing, instead of stopping the flow of weapons coming from abroad that will minimize crimes, they wait for events like that to happen in order to take action.

This reminds me of two police officers that were killed in my neighbourhood last year, may he rest in peace.

[Aksel]

Ok. Let's look at it.

In 2007 in USA, there were 12,129 homicide with firearm.
In 2007 in Norway, there were around 5-20 homicide with firearm.

It's because of the financial situation, I guess. Most of the gunshots in the US are fired by poor people, as they have no job or nothing to live for.

In Norway you have no posibility to be poor, unless you really want to.

[Sawyer]

Well I guess the government should act this time. He is not the first nor the last cop getting killed like that.

[Aksel]

Well I guess the government should act this time. He is not the first nor the last cop getting killed like that in the USA.

This was in the UK, by the way.