Police find at least nine suspicious devices after shooting man with chainsaw

At least nine suspicious devices have now been found at the scene where a chainsaw-wielding man was shot by police during an arrest, Kent Police said.

Plumber Sean O’Meara, 36, was wearing a gas-mask and body armour when he was shot and seriously injured by a police officer close to The Park Gate Inn in Hollingbourne, Kent, on Monday.

Police believed the suspect was holding an improvised firearm or improvised explosive device (IED) and an explosive ordnance disposal team was called.

Parts of the A20 were closed across several days as the bomb squad carried out further searches of the area, but the road has now fully re-opened.

The suspect remains in hospital after suffering life-changing injuries, the force said in an update on Saturday.

Police are not treating the incident as terrorist related.

Officers went to an address in Ashford Road at about 7.15pm on Monday to arrest a man on suspicion of assault, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said.

The man refused to leave the house and armed officers were deployed. The shooting happened at about 9pm.

Chief Superintendent Neil Loudon said: “This has been a complex investigation and we appreciate that the intermittent closure of the A20 caused disruption to many.

“We would like to thank the public for their patience and understanding whilst we conducted these vital searches.”