Church gunman suspect arrested after flat raid in Walsall

Police in Walsall have arrested a man in connection with a firearms alert after a man was seen waving a gun around in a church.

After several people contacted West Midlands Police this morning to report a man inside St Paul’s Church, Darwall Street, brandishing what appeared to be a handgun; armed officers were deployed to the area and the police helicopter lifted in a bid to locate the man.

Officers quickly secured and publicised a CCTV image of the suspect, an appeal which prompted further sightings, leading officers to a flat in Sandwell Street, Walsall, where a suspect was arrested just before 8pm.

In a statement, West Midlands Police stated: “A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence; he is being transported to police custody.”

Force Incident Manager, Chief Inspector Steve Radford, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who responded to our appeal and provided information. It helped us identify a suspect and an address which we then contained with armed officers.

“We’re currently in the process of searching the flat. I’d like to praise the professionalism of all the officers involved who have brought this incident to a safe conclusion.”