Inquests to open into Plymouth shooting victims and gunman this week

Members of the public attended a vigil for the community in Plymouth following the shooting
PA Wire
Abbianca Makoni @abbiancamak
18 August 2021

Ian Arrow, senior coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and south Devon, is expected to formally open hearings on Thursday morning.

The inquest will investigate the deaths of Maxine Davison, 51, Sophie Martyn, three, her father Lee Martyn, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66.

Mr Arrow will then formally open a separate hearing in the afternoon for the inquest into the death of apprentice crane operator Davison, 22.

The hearings will take place at a coroner’s court at Derriford Business Park.

A spokesman for the coroner said Mr Arrow would be receiving evidence from the senior officer leading the investigation for Devon and Cornwall Police.

It comes a week after Davison committed the murders before taking his own life.

On Friday, a vigil attracted a large group of people to remember the victims in the tragedy.

The mass shooting is the first in Britain since Cumbrian taxi driver Derrick Bird killed 12 in 2010.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims in the wake of the tragedy.

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