- The Observer, Sunday June 8 2003
Keith Larkins, 33, was pulled over as he drove his battered blue VW Golf along Saxon Way, half a mile outside the airport perimeter. A police dog handler, who was routinely observing passing vehicles, noticed Larkins's car had a flat tyre and ordered him to pull over.
He stopped but then drove off as the officer approached, colliding with a bicycle being pushed by a pedestrian. Larkins stopped again and produced what appeared to be a police-issue handgun, firing several times in the direction of the officer.
Armed officers from Heathrow Police were called but by the time they arrived, Larkins, who's unemployed and from west London, had left his own car and driven off in the dog handler's police van. He stopped a little way down the road and pointed his gun at the officers. When he refused to put it down several shots were fired by the police, hitting Larkins in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Scotland Yard spokesman told The Observer: 'We can confirm that the weapon used by the deceased was an 8mm blank-firing weapon that is an exact replica of a police Glock handgun. It was recovered at the scene, together with three rounds of blank ammunition.'
An investigation has been launched by the Police Complaints Authority and officers involved in the shooting have been suspended.
Roads near Heathrow have been sealed off and police have warned of possible traffic problems. Police said there is nothing at this stage to suggest any terrorist link.
