Gunman dies in crash after village shooting
A parish councillor was shot at his home in a quiet Hampshire hamlet before the 34-year-old gunman fled on his motorbike and died in the ensuing police chase. James Nash, 42, a children’s author, suffered serious head injuries and was last night fighting for his life in hospital as police combed the village and searched an address half a mile from the scene of the attack. Mr Nash lives with his wife Dr Sarah Nash, a leading space scientist.
A PARISH councillor was shot at his home in a quiet Hampshire hamlet before the gunman fled on his motorbike and died in the ensuing police chase.
James Nash, 42, a children’s author, suffered serious head injuries and was last night critically ill in hospital as police combed the village and searched an address half a mile from the scene of the attack. A 40-year-old woman who received minor injuries during the attack in Upper Enham has not been named. Mr Nash lives with his wife Dr Sarah Nash, a space scientist.
The gunman, a 34-year-old, is believed to have left the scene on foot before jumping on to a motorcycle. He crashed the bike on the A343, three miles away, during a police chase.
It is understood he was known to Mr Nash, although their relationship is unclear. Police said the rider died at the scene of the crash near the village of Hurstbourne Tarrant and the case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Mr Nash was taken to Southampton General Hospital after the attack at around 3pm on Wednesday.
The self-employed artist, who is a councillor for Enham Alamein parish council, and his wife live in a detached two-bedroom cottage in Upper Enham, where the average house price is £813,149. Mr Nash’s social media pages showed an idyllic rural life, even looking after chickens.
He is said to be an active councillor who has been heavily involved with the local community. Enham Alamein parish council refused to comment.
One resident said: “He writes children’s books and he is an artist. He is a lovely guy. He would literally do anything for anyone.
“He helps out with lots of things. A few years ago we had a fair and he was asked to come and help out because he had a tractor. He is a really nice person whenever I have spoken to him.”
Mr Nash described himself on his blog as “a naturalist, first and foremost, devoted to the conservation of our wild world” and a resident artist at the Hawk Conservancy Trust based in Andover, Hants.
Dr Nash works at the Science and
Technology Facilities Council in Didcot, in Oxford, a government agency that carries out research in science and engineering.
The Nashes’ house is located on a quiet country lane next to the Enham Trust, a charity which provides support and care for the vulnerable and disabled. A spokesman for the trust said: “Our thoughts are with the individual affected. This is of course a worrying time for the community and we are supporting residents within the village, but can confirm that nobody supported by the trust or staff were involved.”
Chief Insp Kory Thorne, Test Valley district commander, said: “We know residents in Upper Enham and Hurstbourne Tarrant will have been concerned by what happened. They are likely to see a continued police presence while we investigate.”