Luton man shot dead by police following reports of a woman being assaulted

A 24-year-old man has been shot dead by police in Luton following reports of a woman being assaulted at a block of flats. The incident took place at Tracey Court off Hibbert Street at around 1.30pm GMT on Wednesday (9 November).

The man, described by police as white and British, was treated at the scene by paramedics and then rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead at 2.50pm GMT. The case has now been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Bedfordshire Police Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: "First and foremost our thoughts are very much with the family of the man involved in this tragic incident. The IPCC has been informed, as is standard protocol when someone has died following police contact, and as such it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further at this stage."

The IPCC confirmed it was aware of the case and had sent investigators to the hospital and also to Tracey Court, the three-storey location of the deadly shooting.

In a statement the IPCC said: "Investigators have been sent to the scene and to the post-incident procedures where initial accounts will be provided.

"Investigators have also been sent to the hospital to make some initial enquiries. The man's next of kin has been notified by Bedfordshire Police and the IPCC will be contacting them to inform them of our role. The investigation is in its early stages and no further information is available at this time."

The scene of the incident is just a few hundred metres from Essex Close, where two bodies were discovered within days of each other in October of this year. A man was found wrapped in clingfilm and dumped in a wheelie bin days after the body of a young mother was found in the same estate.

Police are treating those two deaths as part of a double murder investigation, the Mail Online reported, though there is no indication of a link to today's shooting.

A man was also found shot in a school car park 2.7 km (1.7 miles) away in Dallow Road on 1 November, Luton on Sunday reported. The man was treated in hospital but his wounds were not thought to be life-threatening.