man has been charged in reference to an alleged homicide and three tried murders following a collection of firearm incidents in north-west Scotland.
John MacKinnon, 47, died after a firearm was discharged on the Isle of Skye on Wednesday morning.
His household have paid tribute to the “loving husband, father of six, brother, uncle and grandfather” who was a “much-loved member of the neighborhood”.
Gunshots have been additionally heard on the mainland at Dornie, Wester Ross.
A 32-year-old lady and a person and lady, each 63, have been taken to hospital following the incidents the place the person is in a “vital” situation whereas the youthful lady is in a “critical” situation.
Police Scotland mentioned {that a} 39-year-old man has been charged in reference to the alleged homicide of Mr MacKinnon and the alleged tried homicide of three others who have been injured.
He is because of seem at Inverness Sheriff Court docket on Friday.
The household of Mr MacKinnon, who was reportedly attempting to assist others because the occasions unfolded, issued a press release which learn: “John was a loving husband, father of six, brother, uncle and grandfather to his household, and was a much-loved member of the neighborhood.
“John cherished the outside, was a eager motorcyclist and, as a cherished father, shared his actions together with his household.”
John was a loving husband, father of six, brother, uncle and grandfather to his household, and was a much-loved member of the neighborhood
Nicola Sturgeon mentioned everybody in Scotland will probably be pondering of the communities affected.
Talking as she visited a church group in Forfar, Angus, on Thursday, she mentioned: “My ideas are with these most instantly affected by what has been a horrific incident on Skye.”
The First Minister mentioned, given the close-knit communities within the Highlands, “the sense of devastation will probably be felt much more acutely”.
Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, mentioned what occurred has “shocked the place to the core”, with Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, the native MSP, describing the information as “one of many worst days that I can recall within the historical past of Skye and Lochalsh”.
Native resident Gordon Matheson, who lives in Teangue, mentioned the day had been “profoundly tough” for the neighborhood.
Talking on Wednesday he mentioned: “Households have suffered super loss in the present day.”
Officers have been known as to a property within the Tarskavaig space of Skye shortly earlier than 9am on Wednesday the place they discovered a 32-year-old lady with critical accidents. She was taken to the Queen Elizabeth College Hospital in Glasgow.
About half-an-hour later, gun photographs have been reported at a property within the Teangue space of the island, about eight miles away, the place Mr MacKinnon was pronounced lifeless when emergency providers arrived.
Following reviews of gunshots in Dornie on the mainland, a 63-year-old man was discovered with critical accidents and brought to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for therapy.
A 63-year-old lady was taken to Broadford Hospital, Skye, and launched after therapy.
Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett mentioned a Taser was discharged throughout the course of the incidents.
He mentioned there was a licence for the gun used within the incidents and it was owned by the one who discharged it.
Talking at a media briefing on Thursday, Mr Trickett reassured the neighborhood there is no such thing as a additional risk in relation to Wednesday’s incidents.
He mentioned: “The ideas of myself and colleagues throughout Police Scotland are very a lot with the household and pals of Mr MacKinnon and the three individuals who stay injured.
“These incidents came about in a close-knit rural space and have a major affect not solely on these instantly affected but additionally pals and their neighbours residing in these communities.”
Requested if there could be further firearms checks within the space, he mentioned: “There’s a vigorous course of round firearms licensing that entails each native officers, the divisional firearms licensing workforce, who’re specialists within the space, and nationwide firearms licensing.
“All licences are reviewed as per the laws and that may proceed in an ongoing manner.”
