Woman shot dead by police officer in Kent, England

June 11, 2007 A woman, reported to be an expert in martial arts, has been shot dead by police in a car park behind M&Co, a women's clothing shop in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. According to reports, the woman pulled a gun on police who then shot her.

"I can confirm that in the early hours of this morning Kent Police fatally shot a person. This has been referred to the IPCC which has a team of investigators now at the scene," said a spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

A bus station in Sevenoaks was shut down and closed off to the public while police investigated the incident. A tent was placed over the crime scene to ensure that evidence was kept intact.

Regular police officers do not carry guns in the United Kingdom. Special officers are dispatched to scenes with guns only if situations become serious or dangerous.