A man has been shot dead by police after an incident at Milton Keynes railway station.
Armed officers were called to the scene on Tuesday following reports of a man carrying a firearm at the busy transport hub, Thames Valley Police said.
The officers rushed to the scene in Elder Gate and challenged the man before firing off multiple shots.
Witnesses said police tried to resuscitate the man, performing CPR for around ten minutes, before he was declared dead at at 1.44pm.
Hever Marin told the BBC he was on a phone call in the station building when he heard the "very loud" shot.
"So we went out to see and the next thing we saw was two armed cops trying to get some medical equipment to resuscitate the guy," he said.
"They tried for at least 10 minutes. But the guy wasn't reacting."
The shots were fired in the station square outside the building and police have put a cordon in place.
A shop worker told The Independent that a customer burst into his shop saying he witnessed the shooting.
He said: “It didn’t seem real. We didn’t hear anything at all, no gunshots.
“We saw the armed police swarm around and cordon everything off.
“Then a customer came in and said he saw a man get shot in the stomach. He didn’t say anything about the man having a weapon.
“It is shocking when it happens right under your nose.”
Residents in flats above Milton Keynes Central station reported hearing a single loud noise before a large police and ambulance presence arrived.
Alan Brockbank, 70, said: “All I heard sounded like something heavy had been dropped, it didn't sound like a shot or anything.”
A large police presence attended around 10 minutes later, he said, adding: “Then, of course, they were all around the front of the building, actually we could see the person lying on the floor and they were trying to resuscitate him."
He saw a man receiving CPR chest compressions.
Mr Brockbank and his wife Edith, 67, who are both retired, assumed someone had suffered something like a heart attack.
Mrs Brockbank said: “There was all sorts of activity trying to get people back, there was somebody trying to film it, the police were trying to tell them to go back.”
The husband added: “It was only later on we saw armed police with automatic weapons. There was two of them.”
Shazna Muzammil, leader of the Conservative group on Milton Keynes City Council, posted on X: "We are deeply shocked by the events that unfolded today at Milton Keynes railway station.
"Our thoughts are with all those there and affected by it. It must have been quite a shock.
"Very thankful to the police and emergency services for their swift response in keeping everyone safe. Please follow the guidance of local authorities and stay informed through official channels."
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “Officers from Thames Valley Police and British Transport Police were called to reports of a man carrying a firearm at Milton Keynes railway station, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, at 12.55pm today (1/4).
“Armed officers from Thames Valley Police responded and challenged the man, before shots were fired by police.
“Life-saving actions were immediately taken at the scene, but the man was pronounced dead at 1.44pm.”
He added: “There is not believed to be any further risk to the public at this time.”
The police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have launched an investigation into the shooting.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “We can confirm we have begun an independent investigation into the fatal shooting of a man by Thames Valley Police (TVP) at Milton Keynes railway station today (1 April).
“We were notified by TVP shortly after the incident and IOPC investigators have been sent to the station and the police post incident procedure to begin gathering information.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the man who died and all those who have been affected by this incident.
“Our role in these circumstances is to independently investigate all of the circumstances surrounding this incident including the actions and decisions taken by the police.
“We declared an independent investigation at 2.26pm. It is in its very early stages and no further information is available at this time.”
