Profile: Pc Richard Gray

Pc Richard Gray was known to his colleagues as Ricky

Pc Richard Gray was shot dead while attending the scene of a domestic argument in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The officer joined Cheshire Constabulary in 1997, serving in the Warrington area, before transferring to the West Mercia force in 2003.

He was a former soldier who served with the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch in Northern Ireland, Germany, England, Scotland and Hong Kong

West Mercia chief constable Paul West said Pc Gray - known to his colleagues as Ricky - was a popular figure in the force.

He praised the officer for his "bravery, determination and professionalism" in the job.

Bravery commendations

Pc Gray was born in Dundee and attended St Saviour's High School in the city.

The constable, who lived in Bayston Hill near Shrewsbury, married his long-term partner Jenny in Venice in August last year.

The couple had been together for 16 years and he had two grown up sons from a previous marriage.

Pc Gray was a trained firearms officer who had been commended five times for bravery, winning recognition for his part in the arrests of two armed men.

Firearms arrests

He received a chief constable's commendation and a judge's commendation for his part in the arrest of an "unstable" man with a firearm.

Pc Gray was also recognised for his role in arresting a violent man with a semi-automatic pistol who tried to escape police at a stop-check in Shrewsbury in April 2006.

For that, he was due to be presented with a Chief Constable's Certificate of Commendation - the force's highest honour - at a ceremony later this year.

He received a divisional commendation for rescuing a man trying to jump from Shrewsbury's English Bridge into the River Severn.

His professionalism, decision-making and teamwork were praised after the rescue of two women from the river last July.