Police involved in shootout in wealthy west London neighbourhood

By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON - Heavily armed police called in a negotiator to deal with a suspected gunman after a shootout Tuesday in a wealthy west London neighbourhood.

Officers were called to Markham Square after reports of shots being fired from a house there shortly before 5 p.m., Britain's Metropolitan police said. Police believe the officers were then shot at, and armed police also discharged their weapons, according to a statement.

"The man remains inside the premises at this time and a negotiator is at the scene," police said in the statement.

A police spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man was believed to be alone. He added that no injuries were reported and that no arrests have yet been made.

Markham Square, a plush garden surrounded by Georgian terraced houses in the centre of Chelsea, is just off of Kings Road, an area popular with tourists and high-end shoppers.

Police wielding automatic weapons swarmed the scene as Kings Road was closed to traffic.

Shootings are relatively rare in Britain, a country which has very strict gun laws.