68-year-old detained under Mental Health Act after bow and arrow attack in Skelmanthorpe

A man fired a bow and arrow at passing vehicles on Huddersfield Road, Skelmanthorpe, before being restrained by the public. He has since been detained for mental health treatment.

Bow and arrow fired at vehicles in Skelmanthorpe; man held under Mental Health Act

A 68-year-old man has been detained under the Mental Health Act following an incident in Skelmanthorpe in which a bow and arrow was discharged in the street, striking a number of parked and passing vehicles, westyorkshire.police.uk reports.

Officers were called to Huddersfield Road at 5.37pm after reports of a man driving erratically, throwing rubbish and household items from a moving car. Further calls followed, reporting that the man had stopped his vehicle and begun firing a bow and arrow at traffic and pedestrians in the area.

Armed officers were being deployed when additional information reached the control room: members of the public had physically restrained the man. District officers arrested him at 5.58pm on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. No injuries were reported, though arrows struck several vehicles, causing damage.

The man was initially held in police custody before being transferred to hospital under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act. He has since been formally detained for mental health treatment.

Detectives from Kirklees District CID are continuing enquiries, and a scene remains in place at an address on Huddersfield Road.

Superintendent Zaheer Abbas, of Kirklees District, said the incident would "understandably have caused significant concern to those directly involved and more widely in the close-knit community of Skelmanthorpe." He added that the update regarding the suspect's detention for mental health treatment was intended to provide "useful context" to residents, while stressing it "should obviously not detract from the seriousness of this incident and the harm that could have been caused."

Abbas also recognised "the actions of the members of the public who intervened to help bring this incident to a safe conclusion."

Detective Chief Inspector Oliver Coates, who had earlier led the initial police response, acknowledged that the incident "will have caused understandable concern in the community due to the serious nature of it and the fact it occurred in a busy area and was witnessed by many people." He asked residents to "avoid unhelpful speculation" while enquiries continue.

Anyone who witnessed any part of the incident, or who holds relevant mobile phone, dashcam or CCTV footage, is asked to contact Kirklees District CID via the West Yorkshire Police live chat at westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat, quoting crime reference 13260540484.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)