Woman's body found after police shoot gunman

Published on Saturday 28 November 2009 19:11

A POSTMORTEM examination was carried out yesterday on a woman found dead in a bedsit hours after a man was shot by officers in a supermarket stand-off.

But the cause of death for the victim, believed to be Loreta Raupiene, will not be released before the suspect, named locally as Tomas Uptas, 32, has been interviewed by police. He is still in hospital awaiting questioning by detectives after being shot in the arm in Morrisons in Canterbury on Thursday evening.

Police marksmen went to the store following concerns from staff and shoppers about a gunman inside, and opened fire after he apparently ignored orders to drop his weapon.

Hours later, the body of Ms Raupiene was found in the bedsit she shared with Uptas at the Ambassador Guest House in Victoria Road in the city.

Kent Police are linking the shooting and the discovery of the body as Uptas remains in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

They are not confirming the identities of those involved at this stage.

Customers at the supermarket reported seeing an unkempt man carrying a handgun under the sleeve of his coat in the beer and wine aisle before armed units arrived. One loud shot was heard, prompting staff to evacuate customers as around 60 people shopped.

Shopper Pamela Elvidge, 58, said she saw a man who appeared intoxicated carrying a handgun. She said: "I thought it was a toy gun, because you don't expect someone to be walking round carrying a real gun in a supermarket."