A 20-year-old white British man has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs after a police pursuit that ended with a firearms officer shooting him in the arm.
The incident unfolded at around 3pm on Friday on Bury New Road in Whitefield, Bury, when officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) attempted to stop a vehicle. According to GMP, the driver failed to comply and “drove directly at our officers to get away”. A firearms officer discharged their weapon, striking the driver in the arm. The man was taken to hospital for treatment. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is independently investigating the non‑fatal shooting, said the suspect sustained a suspected broken elbow. GMP described the injury as neither life‑threatening nor life‑changing. No police officers were hurt.
The driver was arrested at the scene and remains in hospital. No further arrests have been made at this stage. GMP has referred the matter to the IOPC “as per standard procedure”. The incident is not being treated as terror‑related and has no relevance to the Manchester Arena bombing anniversary. It is understood the initial reason for attempting to stop the vehicle was unrelated to the local area.
Overnight searches following the pursuit led to the recovery of a firearm and a significant quantity of Class A and B drugs from an address in Radcliffe. GMP described this as a “substantial find” that prevents dangerous weapons and drugs from reaching the streets.
‘Dangerous situation faced’ – police statement
Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, from GMP’s serious crime division, said: “We know people in the area will be concerned by what has happened and the visible increase in police officers in the local area as our investigations continue. Thankfully no members of the wider public, or officers were harmed in the incident this afternoon and we thank people for their patience while we remain at the scene. Should anyone have any concerns, please speak with our officers who are out in the local area, they are there to listen and assist where possible.”
Harrop heads GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), which focuses on tackling murders, firearms offences, dangerous offenders, and online drug sales. The incident occurred near Junction 17 of the M60 motorway, and a visible increase in police presence remains in the area as inquiries continue.
