
At least four suspicious devices found after police shooting
Plumber Sean O'Meara, 36, was wearing a gas-mask and body armour when he was shot and seriously injured by a police officer on Monday, close to The Park Gate Inn in Hollingbourne, Kent.
Police believed the suspect was holding an improvised firearm or improvised explosive device (IED) and an explosive ordnance disposal team was called.
The devices were found as the A20 was shut down and work is being done to ensure 'the area is made safe', Police West Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Neil Loudon said on Thursday.
The man who was shot suffered life-changing injuries and the police are not treating the incident as terrorist related.
Mr Loudon said: 'At this current time there is nothing to suggest there is a wider threat to the Hollingbourne community but we have found at least four suspicious devices at the scene and it is important that the area is made safe.
'The disruption this is causing to the local community, businesses and users of the A20 is not lost on us and we are doing everything we can to make sure the area can return to normal as soon as possible and I'd like to thank the public for their patience and understanding.'
The force said the A20 at Hollingbourne will remain closed on Thursday and there may also be temporary disruption on the M20.
Mr Loudon said: 'Officers are carrying out a very complex investigation and safety is their number one priority.'
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