The UK's Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed on April 3 that the man who was shot by Thames Valley Police (TVP) in Milton Keynes on Tuesday, April 1 was 38-year-old David Joyce.
While the IOPC did not confirm Joyce's nationality, the Irish Mirror, citing people who knew Joyce, reports that he was a native of the Traveller community in Co Galway who left Ireland about 15 years ago.
In its update on the fatal incident last week, TVP said its officers and officers from British Transport Police were called to reports of a man carrying a firearm at the station on Elder Gate at 12:55 pm on April 1.
"TVP armed officers responded and challenged a white man who was carrying a knife outside the station," TVP said.
"He moved at speed towards officers with the knife before a shot was fired by police.
"Life-saving actions were immediately taken at the scene, but the man was sadly pronounced dead at 1:44 pm."
The incident has been referred to the IOPC, which said on April 3 that it is investigating the fatal shooting and appealing for witnesses.
"We were advised by the force that firearms officers were sent to the station shortly before 1 pm [on April 1] following a 999 call reporting that there was a man with a gun at the scene," the IOPC said.
"We have viewed police officers’ body worn video footage and a substantial amount of CCTV footage and established that at around 1:04 pm, the man was just outside the railway station main entrance with a knife in his hand, and ran towards the officers.
"Shortly afterwards the man was shot at close range. We have established that a single shot was fired by one officer.
"The man, David Joyce, 38, who lived in Milton Keynes, was given first aid by TVP officers but died at the scene.
"His next of kin has been informed and he was formally identified at a post-mortem examination this morning (3 April). The provisional cause of death is a single gunshot wound to the abdomen."
IOPC investigation into fatal police shooting in Milton Keynes
IOPC appeals for witnesses to Tuesday’s shooting by @ThamesVP officers outside Milton Keynes station as we name the shot man
— Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) (@policeconduct) April 3, 2025
▶️ https://t.co/CDFLRyACtl pic.twitter.com/aM107rVSH8
According to the Irish Mirror, Joyce had been jailed in 2022 over the offences of firearm possession and possession of an offensive weapon as well as one count of possession of an article for use in connection with conversion of imitation firearms.
One of Joyce's friends in Ireland told the Irish Mirror: “David must have been suffering from a crippling fear, his personality was more like a gentle or afraid kitten, perhaps he found some peace in the security of carrying a weapon.”
The friend added: “He was about the build of a Billy Elliot, a skinny wimpy boy. They could have subdued him easily with pepper spray or a taser.
“He can only have been going through a psychotic break.”
The Irish Mirror tracked down Joyce's social media page, which features pictures from 2014 of the Galway man posing with a gun and a crossbow.
In one eerie post from 2016, Joyce wrote: "Keep having the same kind of mad dreams over and over, getting shot at, having gun fights, being attacked by creepy weirdo's and being in jail. Not to mention getting stabbed and oh yes , my favourite, the poltergeist I always dream of being locked in a house with. Telling you I do wake up full of adrenaline expecting something or someone to be there. This is every night."
Meanwhile, Joyce's neighbor told The Daily Mail: "He was a quiet lad, didn't say much but I think he had some mental health issues.
"On the day he was shot, he came to my gate and started talking to me.
"He was very paranoid and said 'Can't you see them? The cameras…they're following me everywhere. The police are out to get me.'
"It was a bizarre conversation but a few hours later he was shot dead by armed police.
"He had a knife apparently and ran at them but I wonder if they could have handled it differently because he was clearly unwell.
"He admitted that he'd been sentenced to five years in jail and told me he was some sort of engineer who built his own gun.
"He had a fascination with firearms and weapons but I remember he told me he had made a big mistake making the gun saying 'I did something very silly.'
"The fact he'd been inside and his mental health issues meant he didn't have a job. I just used to see him going from his flat to the shop."
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