Man 'wielding axe' shot by police in Hull city centre

Man 'wielding axe' shot by police in Hull

Streets in Hull have been cordoned off after police shoot a 31-year-old man (Twitter/Caroline Brockelbank)

A man allegedly seen carrying a 'double-ended' axe has been shot by police in Hull.

Humberside police confirmed that a 31-year-old man was injured at 9.37am today after shots were fired by officers.

Armed officers were sent to the scene next to a Post Office following "concerns for the safety of the public".

Onlookers say they saw an injured man with an axe in the street and have been told not to go outside, reports the Hull Daily Mail.

Passerby Kevin Hollis, speaking to the newspaper, said: "I've been told that a guy with an axe was attacking a car, and he was shot twice."

Witnesses reported a huge police presence in the Charles Street area of the city, with several streets cordoned off and firefighters at the scene.

The man, who cannot yet be named, is now receiving medical attention.

Large screens have been put up around a car park in Francis Street and one around a nearby building.

An investigation is underway and the shooting has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.