Resident 'dived on floor' as police fired gun in dramatic Birmingham pursuit

A Birmingham resident has spoken of diving on the floor after hearing "loud bangs" this morning, December 14, after a police chase ended in gunfire on a major city route. Part of the A38 Kingsbury Road remained sealed off into this afternoon after a police pursuit of a suspected 'cloned' van ended in shots fired.

West Midlands Police has confirmed a suspected 'cloned' van was flagged to a patrol, with a suspicion that 'weapons may be on board'. During the incident, a police firearm was discharged and a police dog was injured.

The chase ended at a Kingsbury Road car wash, where the van was abandoned, according to a witness. A number of residents reported similar scenes to our reporter this afternoon, describing how the armed chase unfolded.

LIVE UPDATES:A38 incident live as major police presence blocks key Birmingham route

Brumwish 2024 - buy a gift for a child in need

BrumWish 2024 is Birmingham Live's festive drive to get thousands of gifts to children and young people across our city - among them the homeless, the vulnerable, kids in care, kids who are poorly or struggling, and kids who have little.

There are THREE simple ways to help.

1. Buy a new gift from the Brumwish 2024 Amazon giftlist. In just a click your donation will be whizzing its way to our volunteers at Edgbaston Stadium.
2. Donate money to the appeal fund hosted by Thrive Together Birmingham - this will help pay for gifts for kids with specialist needs or specific wishes.
3. Buy a gift and, even better, rope in friends, neighbours and workmates to do the same, then drop off your pressies at Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Road, B5 7QU on Friday 6th December, 10am - 3pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am - 1pm; or Monday 9th December, 10am - 1pm. Volunteers will be there to help you. Please don't wrap your gifts. You can also drop off by arrangement until Monday 16th December - contact Louise on 07469 979286.

Thanks to our partnership with #Toys4Birmingham, every single gift will find a good home in the loving care of a child living in B&Bs or hotels, hostels or refuges, children receiving support from specialist organisations and charities, and families being supported by children's centres and charities around the city.

Making up the Brumwish and Toys4Birmingham gang are Thrive Together Birmingham, Birmingham Playcare Network, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (the charitable arm of Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Birmingham Forward Steps and BirminghamLive/Birmingham Mail.

Thank you to Amazon UK and the amazing team at the Sutton Coldfield depot for their support.

One local worker reported seeing a man in a van being pursued by police including armed officers. He said: "The drone was up. There were at least 10 police vehicles and lots of armed police."

He reported hearing two gun shots being fired, and said of the scene: "I've never seen anything like this." Another resident told our reporter she heard "two loud bangs." She said she then heard sirens and that went on for about an hour.

Another resident said he heard a bang and thought it was a car backfiring at first, but then heard another bang and he said "that's gunfire". He said he was having his breakfast and dived on the floor. He said: "I'd got butterflies."

A resident living nearby said: "It definitely sounded like gun shots. It wasn't a car backfiring."

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "Officers on patrol in Birmingham this morning (14 Dec) spotted a van being driven on cloned plates.

"Information we had on the van showed that weapons may be on board. Firearms officers were deployed and followed the van along Kingsbury Road. Investigations into the van are ongoing.

"During the incident a police firearm was discharged but nobody was hurt. A police dog was injured during the incident and has been taken to the vets to be treated.

"Enquiries are continuing and anyone with information is asked to get in touch via Live Chat or 101 quoting log 1259 of 14 December."

When asked if the van driver was still at large, a force spokesperson confirmed: "Enquiries are ongoing, no arrests have been made."

The cordon remains in place this afternoon, restricting the A38 Kingsbury Road to one lane for a short distance and causing some traffic disruption.

We are covering this incident live as a cordon remains in place into this afternoon, follow our blog for updates here.