Man shot three times by police in armed siege in Sussex

A man who is in a critical condition in hospital had been shot three times by police officers following a six-hour stand-off in a quiet seaside town, it has been disclosed.

The 62-year-old with a shotgun exchanged fire with armed officers in North Way, Seaford, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police were called at 7.10pm on Saturday following a report of a domestic incident involving firearms. A woman left the house safely a short time later and negotiators talked with the man for several hours.

But shortly after 1am on Sunday, he left the house and shots were traded with officers from the Surrey and Sussex Tactical Firearms Unit.

The man was wounded in the gunfight, but went back into the house where officers went in and administered first aid to him.

The man, who has not been named, was then taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where his condition was today described as critical but stable.

The case was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which today revealed the man was shot three times in total - twice in the torso and once in the leg.

IPCC commissioner Mike Franklin said four baton rounds were also discharged. An initial ballistics report suggests one shot was fired from a shotgun found at the scene.

Mr Franklin said: "The police officers involved have provided the IPCC with their initial accounts of the incident and our investigators have spent the last few days obtaining statements from witnesses.

"Our investigation, which is in the very early stages, will scrutinise the actions and decision making of Sussex Police, including the initial 999 call, the deployment of armed officers and the negotiation process over a number of hours leading up to and including the shooting.

"An IPCC family liaison manager is in contact with the man's family."

Police have previously said they are investigating the case as attempted murder of police officers.