Police say they had to abandon hunt for UK gunman when he turned weapon on unarmed officers

Unarmed UK police forced to break off gunman chase

LONDON — British police say they were forced to break off their pursuit of the gunman who killed a dozen people across a rural area in northern England last week because he turned the weapon on unarmed officers.

Police said Monday that they weren’t in a position to halt Derrick Bird’s deadly rampage. One officer commandeered a cab to follow Bird but abandoned the chase to help two of his victims. A police van then took up the chase, but Bird shook them off by pointing his gun at them, forcing the officers to duck for cover.

Twelve people were killed and another 11 people were seriously wounded during Bird’s rampage Wednesday across the northern county of Cumbria. Police have said Bird was being investigated by tax officials and may also have feuded with his family and colleagues.