UK police shooting: Officers open fire on knife-wielding suspect after woman stabbed in Luton

A man was seriously injured after police opened fire during an incident involving a knife-wielding man in Luton on Tuesday afternoon, prompting an independent investigation.Bedfordshire Police said officers were called to a property on Cardigan Street at around 12.50pm after receiving reports that a man was threatening a woman with a knife. Armed response officers attended the scene, where police firearms were discharged.The man was given first aid at the scene before being taken to hospital with life-changing but non-life-threatening injuries. He remains under police watch, Bedfordshire Police said.A woman was also taken to hospital with stab wounds sustained during the incident. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which has launched an independent investigation into the police shooting.According to the IOPC, one armed officer fired four shots while another discharged one baton round. The man appears to have been struck once in the arm and once in the leg.The watchdog said its investigators attended the scene and the post-incident procedure, where the firearms officers involved provided their initial accounts. Police firearms have also been secured for examination, while CCTV footage and officers' body-worn video have been reviewed.The IOPC said the investigation will examine the actions and decisions of the officers involved, including whether the use of force was reasonable, necessary and proportionate.Detective Chief Superintendent Zara Brown of Bedfordshire Police said officers had responded quickly to reports of a woman being threatened with a knife and that the force was fully cooperating with the independent investigation.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.