A TIP-OFF over the possession of a firearm triggered the pre-planned operation that led to a man being shot dead by police on the M62. 

Five people were arrested, including two in the Bradford area, as police stopped vehicles at two separate locations on the motorway. 

The shooting happened at about 6pm on Monday on the westbound exit slip road at junction 24 for Ainley Top near Huddersfield. 

The man has been named locally as Mohammed Yassar Yaqub, a 28- year-old businessman and father-of-two from the Crosland Moor area of Huddersfield.

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He was shot by a West Yorkshire Police firearms officer during a planned police operation at Junction 24 of the M62 motorway. He died at the scene.

What appears to be a non-police issue firearm was discovered in the vehicle in which Mr Yaqub was travelling, and is being further examined.

Mr Yaqub’s family has been informed and will be kept updated by an IPCC family liaison manager. A post mortem is due to take place on January 4. HM Coroner has been informed.

Armed police attended the decease's home address yesterday to reportedly search the property. 

Several of the other men arrested needed hospital treatment for injuries “not related to firearm discharge”. No police officers were hurt.

All five of the men who were arrested remained in police custody tonight. 

A police spokesman said: “West Yorkshire Police can confirm the operation related to information received about criminal possession of a firearm, as a result of which vehicles were stopped at two separate locations.

"There were five arrests in total, three from the incident and a further two from a related stop of another vehicle in the Chain Bar area of Bradford at about the same time. 

“The five men arrested are currently in custody. The incident remains with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) for investigation.”

Some reports have suggested that the vehicles stopped by police may have travelled from Bradford on the A6177 ring road and the M606 before reaching the M62.

At the scene yesterday, a silver Audi with bullet holes in its windscreen was surrounded by other vehicles at the bottom of the slip road as police and forensic teams continued their investigations.

Traffic was able to access the eastbound M62 but all other slip roads remained closed for most of the day. 

People living near the scene of the shooting described the frightening sight of officers “swarming” around a group of vehicles, said to also include a Mercedes and a Jaguar.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson said: “I was made aware of the firearms incident resulting from a pre-planned police operation near the M62 at Huddersfield.

“The operation related to information received about a criminal possession of a firearm and I have been fully updated by the Chief Constable. The incident is not terrorism-related.

“The IPCC has now launched an investigation following a mandatory referral to them from West Yorkshire Police and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage until more details are known.”

A spokesman for the IPCC said: “An independent investigation is under way following the death of a man during a pre-planned police incident in Huddersfield.

“IPCC investigators remain at the scene and are attending post-incident procedures in order to gather evidence during the early stages of this investigation.

“The man’s family has been informed.”

In a statement, Mr Yaqub's Bradford-based lawyers said: "Mr Yaqub's family are in shock, and are distraught. They would ask the media to respect their privacy at this difficult time.

"The family are fully aware that the incident that led to the death of Mr Yaqub is currently being investigated by the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) and they do not wish to make any further comment at this stage."

IPCC investigators are continuing to seek any relevant CCTV footage. Initial accounts from police officers involved have been obtained.

IPCC Commissioner Derrick Campbell: “My thoughts are with Mr Yaqub’s family and all those affected at this difficult time. Though in its early stages, this investigation is making good progress but will be complex. We will be working hard to establish exactly what happened and would ask for patience while our investigation continues.”

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