Man suspected of police shooting dies in hospital

A 28-year-old Huddersfield man suspected of injuring two detectives in a firearm attack has died in hospital.

The man, who has not been named, had been questioned by police officers at the Fleece Inn pub on Elland Road in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, yesterday afternoon. The officers were making inquiries into the death of twenty-year-old Zubair Munir, whose body was discovered on moorland on Sunday afternoon near Ripponden. However, while they were in the process of arresting the suspect, he shot at two officers with a firearm. A 43-year-old female officer received a gunshot wound to the thigh, while a 39-year-old male officer was wounded in the stomach. The man then drove away from the scene.

Both officers were treated at the Calderdale Royal Infirmary, but were later released. The injuries were not life threatening.

The man was found in his car, a red Peugeot 106, in Hall Lane, Northowram, Halifax, around 7:30pm. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the head and also had a firearm in his possession. He was taken to the Bradford Royal Infirmary in a critical condition. Some reports have said that the man may have attempted to commit suicide.

Police said that the coroner had been informed and said that a post-mortem would be conducted in due course.

Mr Munir, who was known locally under a number of different nicknames including Bear, Treasure and Ninja, was from the Thornton Lodge area of Huddersfield. He had last been seen on April 10. His body was discovered by hikers, just metres from the roadside on the A58 Rochdale Road, two or three miles outside Ripponden on Sunday. A post-mortem revealed that he had died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Officers are continuing their inquiry. Detective Superintendent Paul Kennedy, from West Yorkshire police, said: “This was not a random incident. We believe there is a connection between what happened last night and the shooting of Mr Munir.”

Mr Munir’s family is understood to have been kept fully informed of the investigation.

(KMcA/GB)