Michelle Thomas heard loud bangs at her pub in Knockholt. A woman died in a Valentine’s Day shooting.
A woman in her 40s died at the scene. The shooting occurred in the pub’s car park. Kent Police are investigating the incident now. They believe the suspect knew the victim.
The suspect left the area after the shooting. Police found a car and gun later. Both items were located at the QEII bridge. This bridge crosses the River Thames.
Later, reports came in about a man. He was on the wrong side of the barrier. Police think he may have gone into the water.
Michelle Thomas spoke to Sky News about it. She was readying for Valentine’s dinner when she heard the loud noises. At first, she thought they were just fireworks.
About thirty people were at the pub to eat. Twenty more people were in the bar. The incident unfolded just after 7 PM, as people were just beginning to sit down for dinner.
An off-duty firearms officer intervened quickly. He wanted to regain order at the pub. Thomas said the victim had been to the pub but “wasn’t a regular” there.
Neither the suspect nor victim were from Kent. However, they both had local connections. Detective Chief Inspector David Higham spoke Saturday and mentioned call handlers got reports of a man standing on the wrong side of the barrier.
Higham does not rule out that he entered the water. Police are searching for only one suspect and don’t think the public is at risk. Specialist officers are working with the families, providing support after this sad event.