Murder investigation underway after woman shot dead outside pub

A murder investigation is underway after a woman was shot dead outside a pub in Knockholt, near Sevenoaks, on Valentine's evening.

Transcript

00:00Locals described the village of Knock Holt near Sevenoaks as a safe bubble,

00:04but after a woman was shot outside a pub on Valentine's Day, it shocked the close community.

00:09Couples were enjoying their Valentine's Day dinner here at the Three Horseshoes pub in the village of Knock Holt near Sevenoaks

00:16when they heard what they first thought might have been fireworks, but it was later revealed to be gunshots.

00:21Now there's a police cordon and a forensics team here at the scene,

00:24and there's also been reports of a car and firearm being found up by the Dartford Crossing

00:29as the investigations continue.

00:31Locals say they heard the gunshots around 7pm,

00:34with the police and South East Coast Ambulance Service arriving to the pub shortly after.

00:38The police have now told us that a woman in her 40s was pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds,

00:43and one resident who lives near the scene of the crime and is a regular at the Three Horseshoes

00:47arrived home just after the gunshots were heard.

00:50I was out all day, and as I say, I arrived home last night about 7.10pm,

00:57and as I was walking from the car up the side of the house,

01:01I could hear some women screaming and shouting, and then there was some guys shouting.

01:08I didn't know what had gone on because whatever happened had happened just before I arrived home.

01:15According to locals, the area around the pub sees very little disorder from the regulars,

01:19and the incident was an abrupt shock.

01:21It took me completely by surprise and utterly shocked me

01:25because this sort of thing does not happen.

01:27It's a very quiet area of the community.

01:31I have represented the village of Knockholt,

01:35together with the neighbouring villages of Halstead and Badgers Mount,

01:39on Severn Oaks District Council for the past 18 years,

01:43and nothing remotely like this has happened in my entire time as a district councillor.

01:48Kent police say that officers also attended the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge near Dartford,

01:52where a car linked to the incident was recovered.

01:54A gun was also found within the vehicle and seized.

01:57Call handlers received reports of a man on the wrong side of the barrier,

02:00and we are not ruling out the possibility that he may have entered the water.

02:04We are currently only looking for one subject,

02:06and do not believe there to be an ongoing risk to the public.

02:09At the Three Horseshoes, police cordons were eventually taken down,

02:12and respects were paid by family and friends this weekend.

02:15Finn McDermid for KMTV in Knockholt.