John
06-04-2010, 07:55 AM
David Cameron, who will be accompanied by Home Secretary Theresa May, has vowed to do everything possible to prevent a repeat of the killings.
He said the people of the area where Derrick Bird carried out his 12 murders had been through "appalling suffering".
But, speaking at Downing Street, he cautioned against "knee-jerk" demands for tougher gun laws.
Mr Cameron said: "Of course we have to do everything we can to stop these dreadful events.
"But you can't legislate to stop a switch flicking in someone's head and for this dreadful sort of action to take place."
Shadow home secretary Alan Johnson said that while there should be no rush to change firearms laws, he believed they should be reviewed.
Meanwhile, one of the survivors of Wednesday's attack has been telling of what happened when he was shot by Bird.
Paul Wilson, a taxi driver, had been walking along Scotch Street in Whitehaven on Wednesday morning when Bird shouted out to him "Oi Paul!"
Bird walked towards him and then he heard a bang and a flash.
The cabbie said he did not know what was going on but then realised that he had been shot.
Suddenly another man ran from a car, grabbed him and then sat him down and asked him if he was alright.
It was then that Mr Wilson realised that blood was "gushing out of his face". There has been no explanation as to why Mr Wilson was attacked.
Also in Whitehaven, Bird shot and killed another taxi driver, Darren Rewcastle.
It is still not known why Bird carried out his killing spree.
Police say he may have taken the reason to the grave with him.
He said the people of the area where Derrick Bird carried out his 12 murders had been through "appalling suffering".
But, speaking at Downing Street, he cautioned against "knee-jerk" demands for tougher gun laws.
Mr Cameron said: "Of course we have to do everything we can to stop these dreadful events.
"But you can't legislate to stop a switch flicking in someone's head and for this dreadful sort of action to take place."
Shadow home secretary Alan Johnson said that while there should be no rush to change firearms laws, he believed they should be reviewed.
Meanwhile, one of the survivors of Wednesday's attack has been telling of what happened when he was shot by Bird.
Paul Wilson, a taxi driver, had been walking along Scotch Street in Whitehaven on Wednesday morning when Bird shouted out to him "Oi Paul!"
Bird walked towards him and then he heard a bang and a flash.
The cabbie said he did not know what was going on but then realised that he had been shot.
Suddenly another man ran from a car, grabbed him and then sat him down and asked him if he was alright.
It was then that Mr Wilson realised that blood was "gushing out of his face". There has been no explanation as to why Mr Wilson was attacked.
Also in Whitehaven, Bird shot and killed another taxi driver, Darren Rewcastle.
It is still not known why Bird carried out his killing spree.
Police say he may have taken the reason to the grave with him.