Police officer shot dead

A WOMAN police officer was shot dead and a second injured while responding to a robbery at an English city centre shop yesterday.

The women officers had been called to a robbery at a shop in Morley Street, Bradford, at 3.25pm, West Yorkshire police said.

A witness said attempts had been made at the scene to resuscitate the officer.

Tom McGhie, chairman of West Yorkshire Police Federation, confirmed two officers had been shot “while responding to an armed robbery.”

At the scene, armed officers appeared to be standing guard near to an alleyway close to the office of a taxi company in Morley Street.

Many surrounding roads were closed off to the public and officers were directing people away from the area.

Dozens of other officers were patrolling the area and numerous police vehicles were at the scene.

Within the cordon, several bright flashes appeared to be coming from officers examining the scene.

More than a dozen officers, some of them armed and others wearing protective vests, were on patrol.

Councillor Khadam Hussain, whose ward covers the area of the shooting, said he was shocked by the officer’s death.

“It is appalling,” he said.

“This is a business area with a lot of restaurants and takeaways. It is not the kind of area you expect this to happen.”