Man Injured in Bristol Shooting; Manhunt Underway

A man in his 20s suffered a serious injury after a gun was fired at a car in the Speedwell area of Bristol on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a police manhunt and precautionary lockdowns at three nearby schools.

Avon and Somerset Police received a report of the shooting at 1:47 p.m. along Speedwell Road. Firearms officers responded alongside emergency services, where they found the victim with what authorities described as a potentially life-changing wound. He was transported by land ambulance to Southmead Hospital, according to the South Western Ambulance Service, which dispatched a double-crewed ambulance, an air ambulance, an operations officer, and a critical care vehicle to the scene. No other injuries were reported.

The suspect fled toward Soundwell on a black and grey electric bike. Police described him as a white male in his late teens or early 20s, of slim build and about 6 feet tall, wearing a grey hoodie, black trousers, and a balaclava. A police helicopter from the National Police Air Service circled the area, including Speedwell, Kingswood, St. George, St. Annes, Brislington, Fishponds, and Eastville, as officers searched for the individual.