Derrick Bird

Case record

Overview

Derrick Bird committed a killing spree on 2 June 2010 in the county of Cumbria, North West England, United Kingdom. He was a lone gunman who killed 12 people and injured 11 others before killing himself the same day.

The series of attacks began in mid-morning in Lamplugh and moved through Frizington, Whitehaven, Egremont, Gosforth and Seascale. It triggered a major manhunt by Cumbria Constabulary. Police confirmed it was the worst incident of mass shooting in Britain since the Dunblane massacre of 1996.

Two weapons that appeared to have been used were recovered, and 30 different crime scenes were investigated. Bird was later found dead in a wooded area after abandoning his vehicle in the village of Boot. Police announced that the body they had found was believed to be that of Bird.

Locations and timing of the incident

The police stated that the shootings took place along a 15-mile (24 km) stretch of the Cumbrian coastline.

At 10.20 BST, the police were telephoned. At 10:33, there was a shooting incident close to the taxi rank in Whitehaven. Bird was last seen alive at 12.30, shortly after 12:30 police confirmed that there had been a number of fatalities and that they were searching for a suspect. At 14:00, Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde announced that a body believed to be that of Bird had been found in a wooded area along with a rifle.

Perpetrator

Derrick Bird was a 52-year-old local taxi driver from Rowrah. He lived alone in Rowrah. He worked as a self-employed taxi driver in Whitehaven and was variously described as a popular and quiet man.

He was a son of Joseph (7 September 1916 – 31 October 1998) and Mary Bird, who is terminally ill. Bird had a twin brother, David (1957–2010), and an older brother. He had two sons with a woman from whom he separated in the mid 1990s. He became a grandfather on 22 May 2010.

Bird was a licensed firearms holder. He had a shotgun certificate from 1995 onwards, and a firearms certificate for a rifle from 2005 onwards. Police stated that he was being investigated by HM Revenue and Customs.

Bird’s body was formally identified at Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness, and he was cremated at a private service on 18 June 2010.

Bird committed suicide at Boot.

Timeline

• 2 June 2010 — The killing spree occurred across Lamplugh, Frizington, Whitehaven, Egremont, Gosforth and Seascale; Bird later killed himself the same day.
• 10.20 BST — The police were telephoned.
• 10:33 — A shooting incident occurred close to the taxi rank in Whitehaven.
• 12.30 — Bird was last seen alive.
• 12:30 — Police confirmed that there had been a number of fatalities and that they were searching for a suspect.
• 14:00 — Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde announced that a body believed to be that of Bird had been found in a wooded area, along with a rifle.
• 15:00 — Prime Minister David Cameron announced that "at least five" people had died, including the gunman.
• 18 June 2010 — Bird was cremated at a private service.
• 9 June 2010 — Memorial services were held in the West Cumbria towns affected by the shootings, followed by a minute’s silence at midday.
• 3 June 2010 — Theresa May made a statement on the Cumbria incident to the House of Commons.
• 4 June 2010 — Cameron and May visited the affected region.
• 11 June 2010 — Prince Charles visited Whitehaven to meet members of the community affected by the tragedy.

The offence

Bird carried out targeted killings and random killings.

The incident began when Bird shot dead his twin brother, David Bird, in Lamplugh. He then shot dead the family solicitor, Kevin Commons, in Frizington.

Bird then moved toward Whitehaven. Police said the suspect, later identified as Bird, had shot dead a taxi driver who was known to him and that he had shot several others.

Residents in Whitehaven, Egremont and Seascale were urged to stay indoors after shots were heard and there were further shooting incidents. Bird drove through several local towns firing apparently at random.

In Egremont, Bird killed a further two people on the streets. He shot a couple dead in the village of Wilton, and a mole-catcher in a field in Carleton was also killed.

A former semi-professional rugby league player, Garry Purdham, was shot dead outside the Red Admiral Hotel at Boonhead, near Gosforth. Bird also killed three people in Seascale: two pedestrians and a man driving a car. The motorist died; it was not clear at first whether he died from gunshot wounds or the resultant car crash.

Investigation and search for the suspect

Police announced they were searching for the driver of a dark grey Citroën Xsara Picasso, driven by the suspect identified as Bird. Police said Bird reportedly abandoned his car in the village of Boot and continued to evade the police on foot.

A major incident was declared by North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust at West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven, with the accident and emergency department at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, on full incident stand-by.

Helicopters from neighbouring police forces were used in the manhunt, while those from the RAF Search and Rescue Force and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance responded to casualties.

During the manhunt, the gates of the nearby Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant were closed as a precaution, and the afternoon shift was told not to come to work. This was the first lockdown in the history of the plant.

Arrest

There was no arrest recorded; the suspect was found dead after abandoning his vehicle and evading police on foot.

Trial

No trial information was recorded.

Sentencing

No sentencing was recorded.

Appeals

No appeal information was recorded.

Outcome

Bird was found dead in a wooded area. Police confirmed it was believed to be Bird’s body after Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde announced a body believed to be that of Bird had been found in a wooded area along with a rifle. Police also confirmed that members of the public who had previously taken shelter during the incident could now resume their normal activities.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced on 2 June at 15:00 that "at least five" people had died, including the gunman. Later that evening, a police press conference in Whitehaven announced that 12 people had been killed, that a further 11 people were injured, and that the suspect had killed himself. They also confirmed that two weapons had been used and that thirty different crime scenes were being investigated.

Over the next few hours, the police stated that the shootings took place along a 15-mile (24 km) stretch of the Cumbrian coastline and that the shootings of Bird’s brother and the family solicitor had been revealed.

Victims

Targeted killings

1. David Bird, 52, was killed at Lamplugh; he was the gunman’s twin brother.
2. Kevin Commons, 60, was killed at Frizington; he was the gunman’s family solicitor.
3. Darren Rewcastle, 43, was killed at Whitehaven; he was a fellow taxi driver known to the gunman.

Random killings

4. Susan Hughes, 57, was killed at Egremont.
5. Kenneth Fishburn, 71, was killed at Egremont.
6. Jennifer Jackson, 68, was killed at Wilton; she was the wife of James Jackson.
7. James Jackson, 67, was killed at Wilton; he was the husband of Jennifer Jackson.
8. Isaac Dixon, 65, was killed at Carleton.
9. Garry Purdham, 31, was killed at Gosforth; he was the brother of England rugby league captain Rob Purdham.
10. Jamie Clark, 23, was killed at Seascale.
11. Michael Pike, 64, was killed at Seascale.
12. Jane Robinson, 66, was killed at Seascale.

Perpetrator

13. Derrick Bird, 52, died by suicide at Boot.

Aftermath

Political and official reactions and visits

Prime Minister David Cameron was joined by several other MPs in expressing shock and horror at the events during Prime Minister’s Questions. On the evening of 2 June, the Queen said she was "deeply shocked" by the shootings and shared the nation’s "grief and horror".

The Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, expressed her regret at the deaths and paid tribute to the response of the emergency services. Theresa May made a statement on the Cumbria incident to the House of Commons on 3 June 2010.

Cameron and May visited the affected region on 4 June 2010 to meet victims, officials and local people. Jamie Reed, the local Member of Parliament for Copeland, called the incident the "blackest day in our community's history". Prince Charles visited Whitehaven on 11 June 2010 to meet members of the community affected by the tragedy.

Media coverage and programme changes

BBC One altered its programming to broadcast two BBC News Specials about the shootings, at 14:15 and 19:30 on the same day.

The ITV continuing drama, Coronation Street, was cancelled on 2, 3 and 4 June because it contained a storyline involving a death in the Lake District and a violent storyline featuring a gun siege in a factory. The episodes were rescheduled to run the following week due to the Cumbria massacre.

An episode of the Channel 4 panel game You Have Been Watching, due to be broadcast on 3 June 2010, was postponed because it was a crime special.

Pop singer Lady Gaga came under criticism after performing a murder scene at her concert in Manchester, as part of her Monster Ball Tour, just hours after the massacre. Comedian Frankie Boyle also attracted criticism for referring to the Cumbria tragedy on the day after the massacre.

The Times journalist Giles Coren suggested Derrick Bird should read a copy of his book on anger management. He later apologised, and both the initial remark and subsequent apology were made on his Twitter feed.

Memorials and funerals

On 9 June 2010, a week after the incident, memorial services were held in the West Cumbria towns affected by the shootings followed by a minute’s silence at midday.

The minute’s silence for the Cumbria victims was also marked prior to David Cameron’s second Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament.

The funerals of the majority of Bird’s victims were held at various churches in West Cumbria.

Law enforcement and operational notes

Police announced and confirmed details during the event, including that members of the public who had previously taken shelter could resume normal activities after the suspect was found dead.

Firearms licensing and debate on gun control

Bird had been a licensed firearms holder. The incident sparked debate about further gun control in the United Kingdom, with the previous Dunblane and Hungerford shootings leading to increased firearms controls.

Police trawling through Bird’s history said they now knew he had been dismissed from his job as a joiner at the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria in 1990 after being convicted of stealing from his employer. He received a 12-month suspended sentence, which did not prohibit him from getting the gun licences in accordance with the law and Home Office guidance.

A review published on 2 November concluded that Cumbria Police acted properly when it issued the licences, and existing gun licensing laws could not have prevented the tragedy. The independent review, by Adrian Whiting of the Association of Chief Police Offiers, also said that Bird’s actions could not have been predicted.

Possible motives and related claims

There was speculation that Bird may have had a grudge against people associated with the Sellafield nuclear power plant that he worked for as a joiner, resigning in 1990 due to an allegation of theft of wood from the plant.

Three of the dead were former employees, and there was no evidence that any were involved with his resignation.

A fellow taxi driver, who described himself as one of Bird’s best friends, and was shot in the hand, claimed that Bird had a relationship with a Thai girl he met on holiday in Pattaya, Thailand. Another friend of Bird claimed that he had sent £1,000 to the girl, who ended their relationship via a text message; the friend added that Bird had been "made a fool out of". There was also speculation that Bird had been involved with a family dispute over a will.

Police investigating the killings found that Bird was the subject of an ongoing tax investigation by HM Revenue and Customs for tax evasion, and this led to speculation that he could have been pressurised by the threat of possible future prosecution and punishment at the time of the killings.

According to Mark Cooper, a fellow taxi driver who had known him for 15 years, Bird had accumulated £60,000 in a secret bank account and was worried he would be sent to prison for hiding the cash from HM Revenue & Customs.

Statements and reported remarks from individuals

Peter Leder told CNN that he was "an outgoing, well-known guy, who everyone liked". He said that when they spoke, Bird told him: "You won't see me again."

Glenda Pears, manager at L&G Taxis in Whitehaven, said Bird and Darren Rewcastle had been self-employed drivers and friends. She said Bird had been a taxi driver for 23 years and was "a real nice man". She said one of her drivers witnessed the aftermath of the shooting in Whitehaven and quoted: "The lad that's been killed [Darren Rewcastle] was friends with him. They used to stand together having a craic on the rank. He was friends with everybody and used to stand and joke on Duke Street."

The landlady of Bird’s local pub, the Hound Inn in Frizington, Michelle Haigh, described him as a "normal bloke" and quoted: "He was a nice guy, nothing out of the ordinary. He would come into the pub, have a couple of pints, have a chat with his friend and go home. "This is not in character with the Derrick Bird we know."

A neighbour told the BBC that Bird had lived on Rowrah Road for about 20 years and had never caused any problems, and the neighbour quoted: "I know him, he's all right".

Whitehaven councillor John Kane told the BBC that Bird had always appeared to be "very placid... a very quiet man... kept himself to himself", and Kane added: "Something must have pushed him over the edge."

Sue Matthews, a telephonist at A2B Taxis in Whitehaven, said Bird lived alone and quoted: "I would say he was fairly popular. I would see him once a week out and about,".

Neighbour Ryan Dempsey said Bird was "very approachable" and quoted: "Nobody could have a bad word to say against him, as far as I know," and also quoted: "He said he had never seen him angry or losing his temper. "I can't see how this piece [the murder spree] fits into his jigsaw. It's just completely out of place." (This quotation was attributed to a man who knew Bird and was describing him as mild-mannered and content.)

A separate Whitehaven taxi driver who did not want to be named quoted: "He was a nice guy. He was quiet but we used to have a laugh. He was quite a friendly person."

Personal relationships and background details

Bird’s brother’s daughters denied reports of any family feud. Bird’s elderly mother, Mary Bird, was said to be "stunned" after learning the news that her son had murdered his twin and 11 others.

Reports circulated of a possible feud within his family or at work, but police said he had no history of mental illness. There were unconfirmed reports that he had previously sought help from a local hospital due to his fragile mental state.

Bird’s neighbour described his last behaviour before the incident and quoted: "He was a very easygoing sort of fellow; never walked past without saying hello. The last time I saw him was last night or the night before, and he was just as happy as before. He waved through the window, nodded and smiled, and the next thing I hear is this tragedy."

Bird’s neighbour also described Bird as "very approachable" and said that on Wednesday morning he had not been his usual friendly self and had "looked straight through people". Another neighbour stated: "Nobody could have a bad word to say against him, as far as I know,".

Licensing and employment details

Police said Bird had been dismissed from his job as a joiner at the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria in 1990 after being convicted of stealing from his employer. He received a 12-month suspended sentence.

Police also stated that Bird had obtained a shotgun licence back in 1995 and a firearms licence for a .22 rifle in 2007.

Bird had been a licensed firearms holder, and police trawling through his history was used to reach conclusions about the licences issued.

Medical and casualty response notes

Casualties were responded to by helicopters from the RAF Search and Rescue Force and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The NHS trust declared a major incident with full incident stand-by at Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle.

Records of what happened in order

Bird shot dead his twin brother in Lamplugh, then shot dead the family solicitor in Frizington. Police were telephoned at 10.20 BST. At 10:33, there was a shooting incident close to the taxi rank in Whitehaven, including the killing of a taxi driver known to the gunman. Bird then drove through local towns firing apparently at random, killing people in Egremont, Wilton, Carleton, Gosforth and Seascale. Police searched for a dark grey Citroën Xsara Picasso, and Bird reportedly abandoned his car in the village of Boot, continued on foot, and was later found dead in a wooded area with a rifle. The incident was confirmed to have resulted in 12 deaths and 11 injuries, and police confirmed the suspect had killed himself.