British expat shot dead after pointing firearm at officers

A BRITISH expat has been shot dead by police after pointing a gun at them outside his home in Pennsylvania.

Gregor Fleming, 44, was killed after he “displayed a firearm” and moved towards officers in Hampden Township.

He died immediately, and his American fiancée, Kelly Thompson, 47, a medical assistant, witnessed the shooting.

Pennsylvania State Police have begun an investigation into the March 7 shooting but Ms Thompson refused to criticise their handling of the incident.

She told the Daily Record: “I watched everything happen. He left the police with no choice.

“They told him to drop the gun several times and he refused.

“He started walking towards them with the gun and they had no choice but to do what they did.

“It’s an image burnt in my mind that I will never forget. I watched the love of my life die right in front of me.”

Originally from Thornliebank, near Glasgow, Fleming was described as “a beacon of strength, resilience and warmth” by Ms Thompson. She said he had been depressed and drinking heavily around the time of his death after a scan indicated that he might have throat cancer.

Ms Thompson said: “He has been in severe pain since February after breaking his back, and on top of that the imaging found a mass on his oesophagus that was likely cancer.

“He spiralled out of control and started drinking heavily and became suicidal.

“He was depressed and scared about possible cancer and the alcohol and medications he was on for pain didn’t help.” Fleming moved to the United States in 2013 and had been training to be a plumber.

He planned to return to Scotland after he and Ms Thompson were married. The couple met when they were living in Virginia.

She described the Rangers fan as a “selfless, kind, generous and loving person” who was an “amazing stepfather” to her four children.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We are providing consular assistance to the family of a British man who has died in the USA.”