A 27‑year‑old woman faces firearm charges after a shotgun blast injured a Nottingham officer in the early morning.
In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, a police constable was injured when a shotgun discharged after striking the ground outside a busy city-centre bus stop. The incident unfolded at roughly 4.50 am on Angel Row, a main thoroughfare in Nottingham that sits close to the Council House and a cluster of cafés and fast-food outlets.
The officer, identified in court as Pc Lee Lane, suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was taken outside a nearby McDonald’s before being transferred to hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.
The weapon involved was described by forensic officers as a sawn-off shotgun, a type of firearm that is illegal in the United Kingdom without special permission.
Photographs taken at the scene on Sunday showed the shortened double-barrel firearm lying on the pavement, confirming its altered status. After the shot was fired, the officer required several surgeries to address the injury, a fact confirmed by the prosecutor during the hearing.
Shot fired at Angel Row leaves officer injured
According to Nottinghamshire Police, Pc Lee Lane approached two individuals who appeared to be acting suspiciously at the Angel Row bus stop. While speaking with them, he stepped onto the area where the weapon had been hidden. Prosecutor Mairin Long told the magistrates that the accused, Aisha Zaman, had taken the gun from another man and concealed it inside her jacket. When the officer arrived, the firearm slipped from her jacket onto the concrete and discharged, striking his foot.
The court was shown surveillance stills that captured the chaotic moments after the discharge. Bystanders can be heard screaming and scrambling for cover as the officer fell to the ground. The scene was cordoned off for several hours, forcing nearby pubs and eateries, including a McDonald’s, to remain closed while officers conducted a thorough search for additional weapons.
Charges and ongoing investigation
Ms Zaman, 27, of Collison Street in the Hyson Green district, appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday. She entered a plea of name, date of birth and address only, and was remanded in custody pending a further hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on 20 November. The charges against her are possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of that firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.
The investigation has broadened beyond Zaman. Police have detained a total of seven individuals in connection with the shooting. Two men, aged 24 and 30, and two women, aged 25 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. A 35-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were also taken into custody on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and assisting an offender. All remain locked in custody as detectives continue to explore further lines of inquiry.
Reactions from officials and community
Nottingham East Labour MP Nadia Whittome expressed her sympathy on the social-media platform X, stating, “My thoughts are with the injured police officer and his family following this truly shocking incident. We all wish him a full and speedy recovery.” The Police Federation of England and Wales echoed the sentiment, describing the episode as a “stark reminder of the dangers police officers face every day.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Rich Bull, who leads the investigation, thanked members of the public for their cooperation and the “outpouring of support for the injured officer.” He emphasized that the investigation remains active and that authorities are working to ensure all responsible parties are brought before the courts. The officer has asked for privacy while he continues his treatment and recovery.
