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The city of Plymouth faced the unthinkable on Thursday the 12th of August. In a shooting spree that lasted less than 10 minutes, the gunman, Jake Davidson, claimed 5 lives in the Keyham area of the city. Leaving an enormous gap in a tightly-knit community, many are left to question Davidson's motive and how such a tragic incident can be prevented in the future.
Davidson killed two women, two men, and a 3-year-old-girl, making it the deadliest shooting in the United Kingdom since the Cumbria shootings in 2010. He began his rampage shortly after 18:00 BST on Biddick Drive, with his first victim being his own mother, 51-year-old Maxine Davidson. He then continued down Biddick Drive, where he shot dead Lee Martyn and his 3-year-old daughter, Sophie. The murder of the pair has deeply hurt the region, according to a local chef, Sam Weight, describing the father as “a beautiful genuine guy, always joking” and Martyn's daughter Sophie as “a cracking little kid who had not even started her life.”
However, Davidson did not stop there. He travelled to a nearby parkland, where he shot and killed 59-year-old Stephen Washington, before shooting 66-year-old Kate Shepherd on Henderson Place. He then committed suicide on the same street as his last two victims, with police later confirming he committed these crimes with a pump-action shotgun.
In response to the shootings, there has been a heavy community outpouring of grief and support within the city. In an area where everyone knows one another, it has come as a massive shock to all residents of Keyham. A community vigil was held by candlelight in North Down Crescent Park on Friday (13th of August) to pay tribute to those who sadly lost their lives. Approximately 70 flower bouquets and 5 green balloons were left near the site of the shootings to pay tribute to those killed. Respects were also bestowed upon the victims by players and fans at Home Park Stadium, Plymouth where a minute’s silence was held.
In a statement shortly after the attack, the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Shaun Sawyer declared: “There is no motive, as we know at present”, yet there has been much public speculation as to the accuracy of this statement, as Davidson’s previous online activity has been called into question as potential evidence. Jake Davidson was found to be a member of many “incel” groups, an incel being a person who regards themselves as being involuntary celibate, and typically expresses extreme resentment to those who are sexually active. These so-called "incels" are known for despising women in particular, generally blaming them for their lack of romantic or sexual interactions. In the weeks before the attack, Davidson regularly posted videos on YouTube where he used to “bemoan about his inability to find love”, saying days before the attack that his life “amounted to nothing”, and that he was “numb and more fed up of life” as an adult.
Some regard "incels" as being the newest terror threat to the UK; with rising numbers of attacks across the world motivated by the same cause, the “incel movement” may be seen as a threat to security. In May 2014, Elliot Rodger, 22, killed 6 people in a knife and gun attack in Isla Vista, USA. His target was an all-female sorority house, making him one of the earliest perpetrators for the groups. His attacks have inspired many more homicides across Canada and the United States, including Alek Minassian, 28, who killed 10 people after a vehicular attack in Toronto, Canada. Eight of his victims were women. Minassian had expressed a desire to punish society, due to women's unwillingness to have sex with him.
In response to these attacks, many government figures have reacted, including Home Secretary, Priti Patel (Conservative). She visited the Keyham area nearly 48 hours after the attack to lay flowers outside a memorial in North Down Crescent Park, alongside Chief Constable, Shaun Sawyer. Patel also addressed the tragedy on Twitter. “The incident in Plymouth is shocking and my thoughts are with those affected”. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, also expressed sympathy for the victims by observing a moment’s silence to remember the victims of the attack. Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, questioned why Davidson had a gun license issued. He commented, “I do think there are wider questions here and that could involve a review of gun licensing laws.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the UK has toughened its stance on gun laws after a national tragedy. In the wake of the Dunblane massacre, where 17 died in a school shooting in the Dunblane area of Scotland, the parliament passed the 1997 Firearms Act. This act restricted gun owners' rights, as it effectively banned private possession of handguns with exceptions on muzzle-loading guns and guns of historical interest. Gun laws were further tightened following the Hungerford massacre in 1987, where 16 people were killed by 27-year-old Michael Ryan, with the UK parliament passing The Firearms Act 1988. This saw the class of prohibited weapons extended to include semi-automatic and pump weapons, along with further restrictions placed upon shotguns. With this in mind, the government may seek to impose further restrictions on gun ownership in the UK. It does present itself as a popular decision, with a 2010 YouGov survey showing that 69% of respondents support a complete ban on guns or further restrictions.
The shootings in Plymouth have left a community shattered and scared, with some calling it “their 9/11”. Though the devastating impact is obvious not only in Plymouth but Britain itself, there are many alarming questions still waiting to be answered: does the “incel” community pose a potential terrorist threat to global safety? Will the UK government take enough steps to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again?