Memorial services begin to Cumbria shooting victims

Memorial services are being held this weekend to commemorate the 12 people shot dead in Cumbria by Derrick Bird.

Detectives were today still trying to piece together what caused the 52-year-old taxi driver to kill his victims on Wednesday.

Police said yesterday they had no opportunity to end the killings sooner.

All available armed officers – a total of 42 – were deployed as soon as the shooting was reported and efforts were made to contain him.

Chief Constable Craig Mackey said that police and RAF helicopters were drafted into the area to find Bird as he drove through the county, as part of a "massive land and and air search".

Bird was last seen alive at about 12.30pm on Wednesday when he abandoned his car near Boot with one of his two guns inside. His body was found in woodland about an hour later. His victims included his twin brother David, fellow taxi driver Darren Rewcastle and solicitor Kevin Commons, all of whom were known to him.

The rest of those Bird shot are believed to have been targeted indiscriminately.

The Reverend Richard Lee, rector of St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont, conducted a memorial service last night.

He said: "I think what any community feels when there's an act of such gross violence perpetrated upon perfectly ordinary people doing what they do every day has to be shock, has to be revulsion."

A special outdoor service for the communities of Seascale and Gosforth is to take place at 2.30pm tomorrow at the Green at Seascale. A service is also being conducted at St Nicholas' Church Garden in Whitehaven tomorrow night, one of several being held in the county.

The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, said the church would offer long-term support for those affected by the tragedy.

"I think in times of disaster, immediately and instinctively people will turn to the church," he said. "Working through grief and sense of loss is really going to take a long time. The church has been there for hundreds of years and will continue to be here."

Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said yesterday that Bird's finances were an aspect of the investigation. He said detectives were also examining family relationships in an effort to establish a motive for Bird's actions.