Heathrow shooting victim had replica gun

Police were fired upon first

The man who died after a shoot-out with police near Heathrow airport on Friday was armed with a replica handgun.

Keith Larkins, 33, pointed the gun at police and shot at them first on the A4 near the British Airways headquarters at West Drayton in west London.

Police returned fire at Mr Larkins, an unemployed man from west London, who died later in hospital.

An investigation, overseen by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), has begun.

The PCA said Mr Larkins had been told to pull over by a police dog handler who had spotted the poor condition of his VW Golf and its flat front tyre.

He stopped but then drove away and collided with a pedestrian pushing his bicycle.

Blank ammunition

He then stopped the car and fired at the officer.

The dog handler called for help and armed officers from Heathrow Police arrived but the PCA say Mr Larkins managed to get into their vehicle and drive off.

But for some reason he stopped and fired at the police again.

The officers returned fire and Mr Larkins was fatally injured.

Police later recovered a replica handgun with three rounds of blank ammunition.

All armed officers involved have been taken off firearm duties, as is standard.

Roads near the airport have been sealed off and police have warned of possible traffic problems.