Gunman with 'Rambo' knife hunted by police after opening fire at bus stop as mother shielded son from bullets

'That’s when he shouted, ‘I’m not scared of anybody''

The scene of the shooting in Sheffield (Google street view)

A mother has spoken of the moment she was forced to shield her son as a gunman wielding a "Rambo-style knife" opened fire at a bus stop.

Police are hunting the man behind the attack outside the Fox House Inn, on Sheffield's Hathersage Road, and have appealed for information.

And a mother who witnessed the drama said she saw the gunman pull out a black pistol and an eight-inch knife - before firing at a man at "point-blank range".

The woman, who did not want to be named, told the Sheffield Star: "He got off [the bus] with about a dozen other passengers. The man seemed in a hurry to get off the bus. He knocked into a couple of people as he hurried off.

“Some people asked him to watch his step.

“That’s when he shouted, ‘I’m not scared of anybody!’

“He pulled out a black pistol from his trousers and fired it at point blank range at one of the other passengers, a man. I held my child as tight as I could and tried to cover him to keep him safe.

“He then pulled out a large black Rambo style knife, blade approximately eight inches long, and waved that along with the pistol whilst continuing to shout but it was incomprehensible.

“The passengers all backed away or those that were on the bus ducked down.”

Detective Inspector Richard Partridge said no one was injured in the incident on Sunday, 1 May, but asked other witnesses to come forward.

“I fully understand an incident like this will cause some distress to local residents, however I want to offer reassurance that a full investigation is now underway and officers remain in the area providing a high visibility presence and carrying out enquiries," he said.

"Thankfully, no one was injured, and we do believe a number of people may have witnessed the incident, and I would urge them to come forward and contact police so we can identify those involved."