Eyewitnesses tell of fight over cannabis with guns and knives on Bank Street, St Julians, Newport

A MAN is seriously injured after last night’s incident on Bank Street in the St Julians area of Newport.

Gwent Police say the man, 37, was hit by a van on Caerleon Road. They say the crash is connected to the incident on Bank Street.

A weapon, believed to be a BB Gun, was found on Bank Street and they also recovered a quantity of drugs from the scene.

SCENE: Police on Bank Street, Newport last night

UPDATE: 3.17pm

Gwent Police say there were several linked incidents in Newport yesterday which they are investigating involving two cars and a number of people.

They said: “At about 5.50pm yesterday afternoon, police began receiving a number of reports from members of the public. The nature of these reports included cars being driven erratically; an altercation between the occupants of vehicles and reports of a weapon being involved.

“Officers arrived at a scene in Bank Street Newport after the occupants of two vehicles, a grey Audi and a white Audi, were involved in an altercation in the street. It is known there were four male occupants of the white Audi, all from the Cardiff area, and two male occupants of the grey Audi, both from Bristol. “

They believe a 37-year-old man in the white Audi was wounded in the leg but it is not known how this was caused.

They added: “Both vehicles left the scene after the altercation.” And that they think the grey Audi collided with a Fiat car in the process. The driver of the Fiat car was not injured.

Two of the occupants of the white Audi - aged 26 and 20 - were arrested with the vehicle which was located in Highbank. One other occupant of the white Audi - aged 20 -was also later arrested.

The Grey Audi was stopped close to Junction 22 of the M4 and the two male occupants both aged 27 from Bristol were arrested.

All five men were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, possession of an offensive weapon, assault and possession with intent to supply.

Police then say it "become apparent that, after the incident on Bank Street, one of the occupants of the white Audi -the 37-year-old man – was also involved in a collision with a van on Caerleon Road."

They added the van is not connected to the original incident and that "the extent of the injuries sustained by the 37-yearold was not clear from the outset but his condition deteriorated overnight."

He is now in the University of Wales Hospital where his injuries are now described as critical but stable. In relation to this collision on Caerleon Road the 47 year old driver of the van, who is from Newport, has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.

A weapon, believed to be a BB Gun, has been recovered from Bank Street. Officers have also recovered a quantity of drugs from the scene.

Detective Superintendent Ian Roberts said:

"We would like to reassure residents of Newport that this is an isolated incident and all of those arrested are from outside the area. Officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident and we are currently in the process of interviewing witnesses to find out what happened.

"Bank Street was cordoned off in order to conduct a search for evidence but it was apparent we were dealing with a complex and fast moving incident. We have put a team of detectives together to work on this enquiry headed by a senior detective.

"Neighbourhood officers are also in and around the location to provide reassurance but also to speak to anyone who feels they may have information, alternatively if anyone has information about the incidents are asked to call Gwent Police on 101 and quote log number 428 26/8/13"

UPDATE: 12.30pm

Police cordoned off a St Julian’s Street last night after a fight over cannabis involving guns and knives, according to eyewitnesses, who also spoke of a possible stabbing.

One man from a neighbouring house described seeing men fighting over a coat full of cannabis after he heard a commotion in the street.

He said: “Two cars came flying down the street and pulled up. I think one was an Audi A3. There was a bang as they reached the top of the street and they had hit a blue car. The other one stopped pretty much behind it so they were parked pretty much back to back.

“I heard the commotion so I went out and had a look. There was lots of shouting. I saw a kitchen knife involved. They were fighting over a coat full of weed, a huge amount of it. Two of them got out of the car and ran over.

"They were in a hurry. As they were fighting over the coat, the weed went all over the road. It came out in a plume. It was definitely cannabis, I went and had a look after they had driven off. I could smell it as well - it went everywhere. They were scooping it away in a hurry. There were two tussling over the coat and then the one lad came from the car with a knife and I thought, “I ain’t staying out here!”

“There were three white boys and an Asian boy. The guy carrying the knife was a white lad. They all looked below 35 - I would say late teens to mid twenties.

After that I didn’t see a huge amount until one of the Audis took off back up the street. One car took off into High Bank and the other took off up Caerleon Road, I think. The police were there for a good few hours.

He phoned the police at 5.53pm after witnessing the fighting.

Another neighbour described how his wife had witnessed the incident. "There was a knife involved and a BB gun, shouting and swearing. This guy got out of a car who was covered in blood. Everyone just kind of sped off. “There was debris. One of the cars had reversed into another motorist - the bumper was hanging off.”

He also described seeing drugs in the road.

John Ralph Sims, from Bank Street, saw the blue car which had been hit: “When I came home the car was still there with the front of it smashed up. It was the front offside wing. The bumper bar was on the road all broken, hanging off. The headlamp was smashed as well.

“The phone never stopped ringing. My granddaughter saw it on Facebook”

Sadie Eynon, who also lives on Bank Street, said: “I’m used to sirens going by because of the motorway so I didn’t take any notice. I had lots of phone calls off people asking what was going on. And then I had a phone call from a friend out Caerleon and she said “There’s been a stabbing in your street”.

The police knocked at the door and said “Don’t go out” and then a man came and said he was CID. I thought, “It must be serious”. Then police were walking up and down the street, right across.”

Another neighbour said: “I arrived home about 20 past or half past six. There were at least 20 officers and lots of people around at both ends of the street. An officer said to me somebody had been run over.”

UPDATE: 11.42am

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 6.23pm (Monday) to reports of a road traffic collision on Caerleon Road in St Julians, Newport, involving a pedestrian."

UPDATE: 8.36am

“We sent an emergency ambulance to the scene, and a man was taken to Royal Gwent Hospital.”

Armed police swooped on a street in St Julians after a gun was spotted during an altercation between two motorists.

Six people were arrested in a incident which closed a Newport road last night and involved more than 20 officers.

A white Audi and a grey Audi were seen driving erratically at about 5.50pmin and around the Newport area. There was an argument between the occupants of the two vehicles and because a weapon was spotted firearms officers were called out.

The two Audis had a collision on Bank Street with a Fiat, whose driver was uninjured and the vehicles drove away from the scene.

The grey Audi was stopped close to Junction 22 of the M4 and the two male occupants were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

The white Audi was located on Highbank.

Four men were located close by and have also been arrested on suspicion of the same offences.

What is believed to be a BB Gun was located at the Bank Street location.

A police spokesman said: "At about 5.50pm this afternoon, members of the public reported a number of incidents involving two vehicles - a white Audi and a grey Audi - in and around the Newport area. Because of the nature of the reports - which included the vehicles driving erratically; that there was an altercation between the occupants of the two vehicles and that there was possibly a weapon was involved - firearms officers were deployed.

"Officers are investigating the circumstances of the incident and would like to appeal for anyone with information to call 101."