Police said further search located man, 67, with shotgun injuries in Winsford

This article is more than 6 months old

This article is more than 6 months old

A woman has died after being shot at a property in a Somerset village.

Police were called to Winsford, near Minehead, by a member of the public raising concerns over the welfare of a woman at 2.30pm on Saturday.

Firearms officers were among those on the scene and a woman in her 50s was found outside the property with severe injuries. She was given CPR by officers but was pronounced dead at the scene.

Avon and Somerset police said a second woman, treated as a key witness, was located uninjured nearby. A further search located a 67-year-old man, who had also suffered serious injuries caused by a shotgun, in an outbuilding.

The man, whose condition is described as critical but stable, is in police custody but has been taken to a hospital in Devon for emergency treatment.

Following a post-mortem examination, the woman’s cause of death was confirmed as shotgun injuries. She has not yet been formally identified.

DS Julie Mackay, of the major crime investigation team, said: “This is a very serious incident in which a woman has lost her life and we are deploying family liaison officers to support the next of kin.

“The scene remains cordoned off so further forensic inquiries and searches can take place over the next few days.

“We’re grateful to the local community for their support and understanding, and I’d urge anyone with concerns or questions to speak to a member of the local neighbourhood team who’ll be carrying out extra patrols over the coming days.

“Due to prior police contact with those involved, a mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

“It would be inappropriate for us to go into further details while the referral is being considered.”