On Wednesday evening residents in west Putney were aware of police activity in the neighbourhood as a helicopter hovered overhead for most of the evening and the common was taped off - a result of a five hour stand off between police and an armed man on Barnes Common.

Following a five hour stand off Police officers were able to successfully resolve a situation where a man with a loaded gun was threatening to shot himself.

At around 6pm officers were called after a man was seen on Barnes Common near Rocks Lane with a gun. Local officers and armed officers responded. It was quickly established that the man was in an agitated and volatile condition and threatening to use the gun on himself.

Crisis negotiators were called and when they arrived they approached the man identified as 29 Dean Simmonds and spoke face-to-face with him over the next five hours talked to the man. Despite provocative comments by the man the talks eventually ended when he agreed to hand over the gun, which was loaded, and was arrested at around 11pm.

Richmond Borough Commander for Richmond Rick Turner, said, “This was an extremely challenging situation and the man presented a danger to not only himself but also to the officers. It was thanks to the bravery and professionalism of officers from across the Met, in particular the crisis negotiators and armed officers, that the situation was resolved peacefully.”

October 17, 2008