How six-hour police manhunt for 'gun-carrying concertgoer' led to massive drugs bust - as chilling footage captures the arrest
How six-hour police manhunt for 'gun-carrying concertgoer' led to massive drugs bust - as chilling footage captures the arrest
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Chilling footage has captured the moment armed police in Manchester detained a man after they were tipped off that he planning to attend a crowded concert with a gun. Superintendent Paul Walker from Greater Manchester Police appeared in Tuesday evening's episode of Manhunt on Channel 4 after having received a worrying piece of intelligence.
![[Superintendent Paul Walker (pictured) from Greater Manchester Police appeared in Tuesday evening's episode of Manhunt on Channel 4 leading Operation Bure]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/28/19/94606697-14334541-Superintendent_Paul_Walker_pictured_from_Greater_Manchester_Poli-a-7_1738091639117.jpg)
The force had learnt that a man named Olushola Watson was in possession of a firearm and planned on attending an event at the Albert Hall - with a capacity of nearly 2,000 people - later that evening. This meant the squad had six hours to intercept Watson and potentially prevent any harm to concertgoers in a time-sensitive mission that was dubbed 'Operation Bure'.
![[Footage picked up from bodycams saw numerous police cars boxed in the black Mercedes before cops approached them holding their guns up]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/28/19/94606777-14334541-Footage_picked_up_from_bodycams_saw_numerous_police_cars_boxed_i-a-8_1738091639118.jpg)
Surveillance officers were quickly deployed around an address in Moss Side that was linked to Watson so they they could monitor his comings and goings covertly. They also began to track his phone so officers could follow Watson's movements around the city in the hours before the concert was scheduled to begin.
![[Armed police were deployed for Operation Bure, as they suspected public safety might've been at risk]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/28/19/94606771-14334541-Armed_police_were_deployed_for_Operation_Bure_as_they_suspected_-a-9_1738091639118.jpg)
After discreetly tracking Watson for a number of hours and deploying armed officers around the venue, they realised that the suspect had picked up three other males from two different addresses. The group appeared to be heading towards the city centre, where Albert Hall is located, with Supt Walker evaluating whether to give his team the order to strike their car or not.
