Police marksmen shoot dead a man linked to murder
POLICE marksmen shot dead a man they were hunting in connection with the murder of a retired businessman, it was revealed yesterday.
William Smith, 36, was fatally wounded as armed officers confronted him at a remote hideout 10 miles from the murder scene.
A force spokesman said a “nonpolice” firearm was seized after the shooting on Sunday night.
Yesterday it was undergoing tests by forensic experts as part of an inquiry into the shooting by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Smith was being hunted in connection with the murder of former garage boss and bird breeder Roy Blackman.
The 73- year- old was found bludgeoned to death at his home in Biddenden, Kent, on March 21.
He is believed to have disturbed burglars who allegedly battered him, causing “multiple blunt force injuries”.
The intruders escaped with Mr Blackman’s 5ft tall safe.
Last night it emerged Smith had been arrested in connection with the investigation into Mr Blackman’s killing and freed on police bail pending further inquiries. Then, last Thursday, Kent Police made a formal public appeal for help to trace Smith, urging people “not to approach him”.
Following a tip- off about Smith’s hideout, armed police went to a remote spot in Goudhurst, a few miles from Mr Blackman’s home.
A woman friend of Smith, who did not want to be named, said: “They’ve been looking for Billy for a while. He’s got a number of children. There was something on Facebook in the week that he’d been spotted near the A20 and there was a police helicopter up one night looking for him for ages.”
A Kent Police spokesman said officers went to the remote hideout “as part of a pre- planned operation in relation to the murder of a 73- year- old man in Biddenden”. The spokesman said: “Shots were fired during the incident. One man was fatally injured and a firearm was recovered.”
Police have arrested six men in connection with Mr Blackman’s death. A 37- year- old suspect has been charged with murder.
The other five were released on police bail.