A DETECTIVE has branded the action of a teenager who shot an imitation gun at Southampton shoppers as "shocking".

Kieron Gomm took to the Above Bar Street roofs on August 29 last year with the scoped weapon, and, along with another man, began shooting pellets at helpless visitors below.

Southampton Crown Court heard that Gomm’s actions on that Saturday afternoon had caused panic on the busy streets, with one witness saying that he “feared people may be killed”.

Now, following his 14-month jail term sentence, Detective Constable Ross Rolph from the Southampton Investigation team, has thanked both offices and the public for helping to bring him to justice.

He said “This was a shocking incident that happened in a busy shopping area and Gomm used an imitation firearm to deliberately scare and cause fear to others.

“It would have been a terrifying experience for all those in the area that afternoon, going about their daily lives.

“We take all incidents involving weapons extremely seriously and the quick response from our armed officers demonstrates our commitment to tackling weapon related crime and protect our communities.

“I would like to thank the members of the public who assisted our investigation that led to the arrests of these two men.”